Santa Fe Tango Ensemble

Bandoneon:

Dr. Gerardo Perez

Dr. Gerardo Pérez of Montevideo, Uruguay is becoming widely acclaimed in many parts of the world for his sensitive and skillful playing of the bandoneon, the rare instrument of the Tango. A gift given to him by his father, he has played the bandoneon since the age of eleven. He is a noted celebrity in his community for his work in hospitals and nursing homes, as a physician and musician, providing wonderful concerts to his patients. He received a superb review in Busqueda. La Republica has portrayed his expressive bandoneon interpretations as

“…música para el alma…”
“…music for the soul…”

Gerardo has joined with Vangy Franklin in a project of the same name to disseminate the beautiful music of the “tango” on the bandoneon, to new and diverse audiences. Gerardo’s broad repertoire includes classical & religious music, folk, candombe and tango music from every era. Arrangements for Cuarteto Tipico and with String Quartet are available for Gerardo to perform with local musicians interested in including tango in their musical experience. He also acquires instruments for students and offers private lessons.

Recent Activities:
In the United States in 2006:
• Jan 19 Grand Opening and appointment as Maestro Bandoneonista of the American Tango Institute in Chicago, Illinois
• Feb 26 playing the Bandoneon Concerto with Symphony Orchestra by Astor Piazzolla with the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra,
College Station, Texas

In the United States in 2005:
• March 15 Guest performer with the Marian Anderson String Quartet playing Piazzolla at the University of New Orleans
• March 18 in the highly acclaimed ‘Bach Around the Clock’ series, Trinity Episcopal Church in New Orleans
• April 10 played again at UNO with members of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in the 4th annual concert series of the New Orleans Chapter of the LINKS, Inc.
• May 7 Miss Unidad Hispano Americana Coronation at the Jefferson Orleans Ballroom in Metairie, Louisiana
• May tour of the Northeast May 15 at Gardel’s Restaurant in Baltimore, at the Mariposa Museum of World Cultures, Peterborough, NH

May 19, the Hastings House, Unitarian Church, Walpole, NH May 20 and performance at the BRaaTs Tango Workshop in Brattleboro, Vt. May 21. He was also a surprise guest performer at the Tango Society of Boston’s Wednesday evening milonga in Cambrige, Mass. On May 18.
• November 2005 in San Miguel, Mexico, Exotic Tango Vacations Jazz and Tango Workshop with Blas Rivera
• December 2005 at the “Tango Gritz and Glitz” Extravaganza in New Orleans and Natchez, Mississippi, Exotic Tango Vacations.
 In the United States in 2004
• August 14 soloist at the Festival Caribe II in Metairie, Louisiana
• September 5featured artist in the prestigious Trinity Artist Series at Trinity Episcopal Church in New Orleans, Louisiana performing Baroque music in duet with pipe organ, Tango music solo and in quartet
• September 17-19 soloist and with the Gerardo Perez Trio at ‘SWANGO’, a Swing Tango extravaganza in Natchez, Mississippi from. During this event, “Music of the Americas,” a multimedia presentation co-written and presented by Vangy Franklin was presented for the first time at the Natchez Historical Society, a presentation describing the comparative histories of Tango and Jazz
• October 29 “Music of the Americas” at the Louisiana Association of Bilingual Educators Annual Conference, Kenner, Louisiana
• November 5performed with the Viva Tango Orchestra in San Antonio, Texas on in a program of music, opera and poetry at the prestigious Carver Center for the Creative Arts.
• November 15 -19 “Music of the Americas” guest lecturer with Vangy Franklin at Texas A&M in 11 undergraduate classes November 19 performed solo, in Cuarteto Tipico and with the Marian Anderson String Quartet featuring the music of Astor Piazzolla
• November 21 performed in the Trinity Artist Series as special guest with the De Las Americas Quartet, Trinity Episcopal Church, New Orleans, Louisiana
• A frequent guest on “ Suplemento” WFNO La Fabulosa 830 AM, New Orleans Hispanic Network
Worldwide Musical Credits

In South America & other locations:
• 1997 featured soloist on “Temas Pendientes” CD by Malena Muyala touring in Uruguay and Argentina from 1997 to 1998
• 1998 featured soloist at the 10th Annual Joventango Festival Internacional “Viva El Tango” at Bastion del Carmen in Colonia, Uruguay, Sala Vaz Ferreira and The Peaceful One Cultural Center in Montevideo.
• 2000 featured soloist for the McDonald’s McNight Tango Dance Festival in 2000, with dancers Martin Borteiro & Regina Chiappara.
• 2000-2001 leader of the Estilo Tango Trio performed the world famous tangueria Bar Tabaris
• 2001 to 2003 member of Mala Junta Cuartet/Quintet in Montevideo performing at the 14th Annual Joventango International Tango Festival.
• 2004 featured soloist at the CECUPI Center in a tango, jazz and Candombe program.
• And a variety of solo and group performances on programs at Sala Zittarosa Auditorium, FM Gardel Radio Station, Canal 4 Television Station, Canal 12 Television Station and Canal 5 Television Station in Montevideo, Uruguay.
• July 2004, toured 3 weeks with Tango Montevideo for the 1st Jerash International Arts Festival in Amman, Jordan, with performances in Al’Aqabah, Jordan, Beirut, Lebanon and Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt.

Bass:

Aaro Heinonen

In over a quarter century of professional bass playing, Aaro Paavo Heinonen has performed in all the music capitals of the world, recorded for many different record companies, including Decca, performed with all of the major soloists and conductors, worked with most of this generation’s well-known composers and has been featured as a soloist with orchestras in both classical and pops concerts. He has performed chamber music, recitals, pre-concert lectures, and has served as narrator and conductor.

Career highlights include performing as soloist in collaboration with conductor Neemi Jaarve, a BBC special with Itzhak Perlman, solo recital and masterclass at the International Society of Bassist Conventions and 22 years as Principal Bassist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra where he also conducted.

Aaro Heinonen had a long association with the Aspen Music Festival, where he performed with the orchestra, was featured as soloist, and performed chamber music and contemporary music. He also played Principal Bass with the Kansas City Philharmonic (now Kansas City Symphony), performed at the Grand Tetons Festival and has played Principal Bass with the Colorado Music Festival for three years. Aaro Heinonen has, during his career, performed with bassists from nearly every major symphony orchestra in the U.S. He graduated with Distinction in Bass Performance from Indiana University School of Music, where he was a solo contest winner, principal bassist, assistant to Murray Grodner, and studied composition and conducting.

Piano:

Ronald Strauss

Pianist RON STRAUSS served as composer, arranger, accompanist and musical director for theatre, dance, and cabaret productions in San Francisco and New York before moving to Santa Fe in 1986. He has played tangos in Paris, Basel, and St. Petersburg.  A grant recipient from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Eugene O'Neill Foundation, he has written for the concert hall as well as for theatre and dance.  In 2001, his opera "Queen of the Night" premiered at the Atelier de la Main d'Or in Paris and, more recently, Serenata of Santa Fe has performed some of his chamber works.  He is currently accompanist in the Performing Arts Department and the Contemporary Music Program at the College of Santa Fe.


Violin:

Daniel Brandt

Daniel received early training (8-10 yrs.) in violin and as a chorister at the Purcell School in London.  He performed the 'Pie Jesu' solo from the Faure Requiem as a member of St. Christopher Choristers. He completed much of his B.M. at the University of New Mexico with Leonard Felberg where he was Concertmaster of Symphony, Chamber, and Opera orchestras as well as student member of UNM faculty string quartet. Daniel won an audition for a position in the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra during this period and continues to perform with them as his schedule allows.

Daniel went on to complete B.M requirements at University of Minnesota/Twin Cities with Sally O'Reilly who had studied with Galamian before becoming Josef Gingold's TA at Indiana. Daniel was the concerto Soloist with the North Carolina School of the Arts Orchestra throughout their tour of Italy & France during his period in Minneapolis.  He graduated summa cum laude in the honors program.  

Daniel received his M.M. with distinction from San Francisco Conservatory in 2003. While there he served as Concertmaster of the Conservatory Orchestra and was a leader in the baroque ensemble.  During this period Daniel also performed as Concertmaster of Symphony Parnassus--a small orchestra performing in San Francisco as well as with the Del Sol String Quartet.

Last spring he performed with the Sarasota Opera as a principal violinist and more recently was featured by the Santa Fe Concert Association as soloist on New Years Eve at the Lensic in Santa Fe with German violinist Arabella Steinbacher.  He attributes his recent success to working with his friend and mentor Gary Levinson, Senior Associate Concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony. Daniel also performs with the Santa Fe Symphony and Santa Fe Pro Musica,  and enjoys hiking, cooking, and excellent wines.

Cello:

Melinda Mack

Melinda J Mack, a native of Pennsylvania, is currently a member of both the Santa Fe Symphony and Fresno Philharmonic in California. Since living in New Mexico, she has performed with various ensembles that include the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Canticum Novum, Sangre de Cristo Chorale, and Opera Southwest. Melinda has received her Baachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music where she was a student of Ardyth Alton and her Master of Music degree from UNM where she studied with David Schepps. During past summers, Melinda has attended both the Tanglewood & Killington Music Festivals.