Piazzolla with Julien Labro

The innovative blending of tango, classical, and jazz influences that Astor Piazzolla dubbed nuevo tango (new tango) has uniquely American roots. The Argentinean-born composer spent his early years in New York City, living in the neighborhoods of Greenwich Village and Little Italy from the age of four to 14 and absorbing the sounds of traditional tango from his father’s records, classical music from the neighbors’ apartment, and jazz from Harlem clubs. It began to come together when he started taking music lessons, learning to play Bach on the bandoneón (a type of concertina popular in Argentina) and wrote his first tango. By the time the family returned to Argentina, the teenage Piazzolla was ready to launch a performing and composing career that brought tango to the popular conscience with music composed specifically for concert performance. American Piazzolla traces his evolution through career-defining works, from Trinfal, the piece that prompted his composition mentor, noted pedagogue Nadia Boulanger, to declare he was destined to focus on the tango, to Oblivion, perhaps his most famous late-career work. Bandoneón player Julien Labro, a virtuoso of the tango-essential instrument, joins for a program that includes works by Piazzolla’s fellow Argentineans Diego Schissi and Diego Saluzzi.  OSL’s Margaret Kampmeier solos in Alberto Ginastera’s Doce Preludios Americanos for piano, drawing a line to Argentina’s leading classical composer.

Concert Duration

Approximately 80 minutes including one intermission

Part of Carnegie Hall’s Nuestros sonidos festival