The music program is appropriate for students and professionals and offers a unique experience of participating in a typical tango orchestra, known as the “Orquesta Tipica," nuevo tango string orchestra, chamber ensembles, bandoneon and guitar ensembles, piano and vocal workshops.
The workshops will focus on technique, styles, repertoire and performance. Players of all levels will come away with a new understanding of the relationship between classical, jazz and tango genres and the progression of tango styles from traditional to nuevo tango of Piazzolla and beyond.
Festival attendee showcase - Tuesday, June 17th, 7 PM. Private coaching can be scheduled upon Festival registration based on the availability of the maestros.
Appropriate instruments for our 2025 program include violin, viola, violoncello, contrabass, piano, guitar, flute, harp, bandoneon, accordion and voice. Please contact us for any questions or if you don't see your instrument listed here.
Description and schedule details can be found below. While not required, it is highly recommended that festival participants attend all of the workshops for their respective instruments along with "ORQUESTA TIPICA" (if appropriate for their instrument).
All workshops and private classes take place in New York City's Roosevelt Island, accessible via the F train, Tramway, NYC Ferry, automobiles and bicycles (2 CitiBike stations located within 1 mile). We are a 3 minute ride away from the Upper East Side! SEE US ON GOOGLE MAPS
Please make sure to read the REGISTRATION details for additional instructions.
CHAPEL Sanctuary: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 2nd Floor, NY NY 10044
CHAPEL Classroom: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 1st Floor, NY NY 10044
Wheelchairs and strollers can gain entry via ramp and elevator on the North side of the Chapel.
CULTURAL CNTR Large Studio: Cultural Center, 548 Main Street, NY NY 10044
CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio: Cultural Center, 548 Main Street, NY NY 10044
Main entrance is down the red steps in the 548 Main Street Breezeway. Accessible to wheelchairs and strollers via elevator on East Side of building.
IH Piano Studio: Island House, 555 Main Street NY NY 10044 Fully accessible.
Instruments: violin, viola, violoncello, contrabass, piano, bandoneon, accordion
Faculty: Leonardo Suarez-Paz, Anibal Berraute, Rodolfo Zanetti
Join us un the acoustically superior Chapel of the Good Shepherd for a unique opportunity to play in a tango orchestra known as the "Orquesta Tipica." This is an essential experience for anyone wishing to play tango and understand the different styles from traditional to Piazzolla. It is highly recommended that participants combine "Orquesta Tipica" with strings, piano or bandoneon workshops to get the most out of your participation. Bandoneon Ensemble Styles (listed below) is required for all bandoneon players in order to participate in the "Orquesta Tipica."
Sunday JUNE 15
4:30 - 5:45 PM ORQUESTA TIPICA (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Monday JUNE 16
5:30 - 6:45 ORQUESTA TIPICA (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Tuesday JUNE 17
5:30 - 6:45 PM ORQUESTA TIPICA (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Private coaching is scheduled individually upon request, see details in REGISTRATION
LOCATION KEY
CHAPEL Sanctuary: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 2nd Floor, NY NY 10044
Instruments: violin, viola, violoncello, contrabass (flute, harp & guitar for Histoire du Tango)
Faculty: Leonardo Suarez-Paz
Tango's main instruments at its inception were violin, guitar and flute and the strings always occupied an important role, not only melodically but rhythmically. String Orchestra workshops are an orchestral practice in which participants will understand how to phrase as an ensemble and how to interpret tango rhythms written in tango scores, which are never expressed as they are actually written! Tango, milonga and nuevo tango compositions will be used in the workshops and provided ahead of time to participants. Two special workshops String Orchestra:YOUTH are included for our younger participants.
Two Strings Master Classes provide opportunities to expand any player' skill and repertoire with "Four For Tango" for string quartets and "Histoire du Tango," duos for violin, guitar, flute and harp. These compositions were chosen for their popularity among classical players.
Friday JUNE 13
11 AM -12:30 PM String Quartet “Four For Tango” MASTER CLASS (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
6 - 7 PM String Orchestra#1 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Saturday JUNE 14
10 - 11:00 AM String Orchestra: YOUTH#1 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
11 AM - 12 PM String Orchestra#2 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Sunday JUNE 15
2 - 3 PM String Orchestra: YOUTH#2 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
3 - 4 PM String Orchestra#3 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Monday JUNE 16
4:30 - 5:30 PM String Orchestra#4 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Tuesday JUNE 17
11 AM - 12 PM "Histoire du Tango" MASTER CLASS (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
4:30 - 5:30 PM String Orchestra#5 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Private coaching is scheduled individually upon request, see details in REGISTRATION.
LOCATION KEY
CHAPEL Sanctuary: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 2nd Floor, NY NY 10044
Instruments: guitar (classical guitar)
Faculty: Alejo de Los Reyes
Tango began with gauchos and “the payada,” an improvised rhyme which interacted with the guitar’s rhythmical qualities and musical virtuosity. The guitar has always been present and important in tango, transforming across time from “the payada” and the earliest tangos into electric guitar played in the ensembles of Piazzolla and Salgán. Working with repertoire provided ahead of time, these workshops are taught in progression and focus on tango technique, “the tango groove,” working with singers recreating a traditional guitar ensemble.
Friday JUNE 13
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Guitar Ensemble#1 (CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio)
Tango rhythmical strumming - the tango groove
Saturday JUNE 14
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Guitar Ensemble#2 (CHAPEL Classroom)
Ensemble playing - the tango guitar quartet, pick and finger style tango technique.
Sunday JUNE 15
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Guitar Ensemble#3 (CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio)
Milonga, tango & vals guitar strumming
Monday JUNE 16
12 PM - 1 PM Guitar Ensemble#4 (CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio)
Following the singer's rubato - the tango way
Tuesday JUNE 17
11 AM - 12:30 PM "Histoire du Tango" MASTER CLASS (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Appropriate for guitar, violin, flute, harp this master class will focus on Piazzolla's "Histoire du Tango" taught by Leonardo Suarez-Paz.
Private coaching is scheduled individually upon request, see details in REGISTRATION.
LOCATION KEY
CHAPEL Sanctuary: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 2nd Floor, NY NY 10044
CHAPEL Classroom: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 1st Floor, NY NY 10044
CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio: Cultural Center, 548 Main Street, NY NY 10044
Instruments: voice
Faculty: Alejo de Los Reyes
Working with repertoire provided ahead of time, these workshops will focus on the idiosyncrasy of Argentine Spanish, the narrative structure of the tangos, articulation and phrasing, the musical communication between singer and accompanist and on transmitting the meaning of the song to the public in performance. This workshop series is a special opportunity to study the main components and technique that form the roots and heart of the tango genre.
Friday JUNE 13
7:00 - 8:00 PM Vocal Workshop #1 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
The musical structure of the lyrics as the basal stone of phrasing
Saturday JUNE 14
2- 3 PM Vocal Workshop #2 (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
How to communicate with and lead the accompanist
Sunday JUNE 15
1- 2 PM Vocal Workshop #3 (CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio)
The influence of Argentine Spanish sound in Tango phrasing
Monday JUNE 16
6:45 - 7:45 PM Vocal Workshop #4 (Roosevelt Island location TBD)
Tango singing as storytelling
Private coaching is scheduled individually upon request, see details in REGISTRATION
LOCATION KEY
CHAPEL Sanctuary: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 2nd Floor, NY NY 10044
CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio: Cultural Center, 548 Main Street, NY NY 10044
Instruments: piano
Faculty: Anibal Berraute
Piano is the center of the rhythm in the "Orcquesta Tipica" with every orchestra's signature rhythm created by the piano (how to accent and how to use the left hand) from Pugliese to Salgán to Di Sarli. The piano workshops are a must for everyone wanting to understand the real tango and its styles and highly recommended for everyone participating in "Orchestra Tipica."
Monday JUNE 16
4 - 5 PM Piano Styles (IH Piano Studios)
Tuesday JUNE 17
4 - 5 PM Piano Styles (IH Piano Studios)
Private coaching is scheduled individually upon request, see details in REGISTRATION
LOCATION KEY
CHAPEL Sanctuary: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 2nd Floor, NY NY 10044
IH Piano Studio: Island House, 555 Main Street NY NY 10044
Instruments: bandoneon
Faculty: Rodolfo Zanetti
An instrument created in Germany, bandoneon was first created to accompany ecclesiastical processions. After arriving in tango, the bandoneon transformed and like instruments (including violin and other strings), it holds an important role in creating the rhythmical groove. Each orchestra had its style and signature rhythm which defined it. In the Bandoneon Ensemble workshops participants will begin understanding styles and work with repertoire which will be played in our "Orquesta Tipica" workshops. Participants will come away understanding how the voicing of the bandoneon and rhythms integrate and interact in the orchestra and in different styles. This workshop series is REQUIRED for everyone participating in "Orchestra Tipica."
Saturday JUNE 14
11:00 AM -12:30 PM Bandoneon Ensemble #1: Styles (CHAPEL Sanctuary)
Sunday JUNE 15
11:00 AM -12:30 PM Bandoneon Ensemble #2: Styles (CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio)
Monday JUNE 16
4:30 - 5:30 PM Bandoneon Ensemble #3: Styles (location TBA)
Private coaching is scheduled individually upon request, see details in REGISTRATION
LOCATION KEY
CHAPEL Sanctuary: Chapel of the Good Shepherd 543 Main Street, 2nd Floor, NY NY 10044
CULTURAL CNTR Small Studio: Cultural Center, 548 Main Street, NY NY 10044
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