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Deborah Rawson, clarinet and bass clarinet, is a graduate of Canterbury
University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. Experienced as
a teacher and in all aspects of performance - as soloist, chamber musician and
orchestral player, Deborah has been instrumental in the setting up of some of
New Zealand's best known chamber music groups, such as the Zelanian Ensemble,
Saxcess and now, Tango Virtuosi.
Jeremy Fitzsimons, marimba and vibraphone, was a founding member and director
of percussion group Strike from 1993 - 2003, and has recorded for the Morrison
Music Trust label recently releasing a CD of John Psathas' works "Fragments". A
1996 Fulbright scholar, Jeremy is a graduate of Victoria University of
Wellington and Northwestern University in Chicago. He is currently working with
the NZSO, performing with Art-Rock group Verona, pursuing various chamber and
solo projects and enjoying dancing argentine tango in his spare time.
Simon Brew (alto saxophone) completed his Bachelor of Music in Classical
Saxophone at Massey University's Conservatorium of Music in Wellington. He was
a finalist in both the National Concerto Competition (2004) with the
Christchurch Symphony and the Unison Rotorua Concerto Competition (2003) as
well as receiving the New Zealand Wind Player Award at the Gisborne
International Music Competition (2003). Simon has just been offered a
scholarship for postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music,
Manchester.
Born and raised in Wellington, guitarist Owen Moriarty studied at Massey
University, completing his Masters degree in October 2002. In 2003 he undertook
post-masters study at the University of Southern California, one of the most
prestigious guitar schools in the world. Owen has toured the country playing in
various groups including the guitar quartet 'Totally Plucked, the Wellington
Guitar Duo and earlier this year he undertook a solo tour for Chamber Music New
Zealand. He has been a semi finalist in both the Gisborne International Music
Competition and the National Concerto Competition in Christchurch, and has
recently recorded his first CD.
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The Tango
The tango, native to Argentina, began life in the slums and brothels of Buenos
Aires in the late19th century. Gradually it gained acceptance from the social
upper-class, evolving into a respected dance, with the golden age of the tango
occuring between 1920 -1950.
In the 1950's Astor Piazzolla started developing what would eventually become
his 'nuevo tango' (new tango) which combined chromaticism, new harmonies and
jazz with the tango of old. Tango traditionalists of the time fiercely opposed
the radical nature of his 'nuevo tango', with some going so far as to hand out
death threats to Piazzolla!
The ensemble Tango Virtuosi base their music on the 'tango nuevo' repertoire of
two French Canadian composers, Patrick Roux and Noël Samyn. Both were greatly
affected by the music of Piazzola and these tangos (written in the 1990's) are
reminiscent of this evocative and vibrant form of music.
Patrick Roux is a guitarist and professor of guitar at the Conservatorium de
Musique du Quebec in Hull. Noël Samyn is a saxophonist born in Belgium and
currently professor of classical saxophone at the same Conservatorium. These
two musicians formed the group 'Contretemps Go' for whom the music was written.
They have subsequently recorded and published their works, some of which Tango
Virtuosi will present in this concert.
Please note that the performers will introduce and discuss the items to be
played.
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