Argentine Tango: From Buenos Aires with Love

Listen to a diverse selection of classic and contemporary Argentine tango compositions. Only three minutes long, a typical tango is like a short story, at times whimsical, more often full of nostalgia and melancholy. Melodies are simple, yet surprising. Arrangers develop them with a rich palette of contrasts and expressive textures. Musicians add their own flair in the moment making each performance unique.

Tango Ensemble:
Alexander Zeyliger, bandoneon, voice
Keiko Cadby, violin
Naomi Kawabata, violin
Angela Lee, cello
Crystie Nicci Shum, piano, voice
Celeste Chiam, piano
Ken Miller, double bass

ABOUT TANGO MUSIC
Tango emerged at the end of the 19th century around Río de la Plata (Argentina and Uruguay) and has been evolving ever since. Along the way, it picked up new instruments, such as bandoneon, peculiar playing techniques and special effects, performance traditions, and a place on the United Nations’ Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Many legendary musicians shaped the tango’s Golden Age (approximately 1935 to 1950). Thanks to those who lived to pass the tradition to the new generation, tango music is thriving today with many superb musicians performing and innovating.
Alexander Zeyliger grew up listening to records from the 1930s and ‘40s and singing them back. He studied voice, piano, and clarinet at a music school in Leningrad. While pursuing a Physics degree at Caltech, he never missed a quarter of Caltech Glee Club and Chamber Singers. He studied classical singing with Frieda Bernstein and Eugene Brancoveanu. Having discovered Argentine tango as a social dance some over twenty years ago, it was only a matter of time before he was drawn into singing tangos and playing the bandoneon, an instrument of German origin that found its way to Argentina to become the soul of tango music. Alexander attended Tango Music Institute at Reed College as vocalist, bandoneon player, and arranger, and participated in the Stowe Tango Music Festival. He currently leads several tango groups in the Bay Area.

Violinist Keiko Cadby is a mixed native to Northern California and Southern Japan. She studied with Lorenz Gamma and Movses Pogossian at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. There she was first introduced to Argentine tango through the music chair and cello professor Antonio Lysy (son of the legendary Argentine violinist Alberto Lysy). Later, she participated in the Stowe Tango Music Festival and studied with renowned Tango artists such as Julio Pane, Nicolas Ledesma, and more.
Cellist Angela Lee is a graduate of The Juilliard School and Yale School of Music. Since making her Carnegie Hall debut in 1994, she has concertized throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. She is a founding member of The Lee Trio, which has commissioned and premiered works of numerous living composers. Using music to foster peace and goodwill, she has made humanitarian trips to the Republic of the Philippines and the former Yugoslavia. While on a U.N.-sanctioned tour of six war-torn cities throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina, she performed for NATO troops and displaced civilians. In addition to coaching chamber music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Ms. Lee serves on the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra Alumni Association Leadership Council and on the Board of Directors of The Resonance Project (https://music-resonance.org/), which promotes live music in mediation settings and international conflict resolution.
Pianist Crystie Nicci Shum was born in Hong Kong. In 2017, she fell in love with Argentine tango after playing in the CMC Tango Ensemble directed by Scott O’Day. Since then, she has been receiving coaching from maestros such as Hector Del Curto, Pablo Estigarribia, Gustavo Casenave, Hernan Possetti, Nicolas Ledesma, AdrianEnriquez, Cesar Salgan, Julian Peralta, Juan Pablo Gallardo. In August, 2022, she performed in the Stowe Tango Music Festival Orchestra, and experienced playing a piece for the Che Bandoneon International Competition. Crystie is currently a pianist, vocalist, and arranger in La Orquesta Fusion Tango, Orquesta Tipica Domo, and TangoLuna, and Tango Brumoso.

Dr. Celeste Chiam is an educator and a pianist with a passion for music, dance, education, youth development and humanity. A Malaysian-born Chinese, Celeste received a full scholarship from Ithaca College in New York, Celeste traveled to the US to pursue her Bachelor of Music, under the tutelage of Phiroze Mehta. She then graduated with her Master of Music from the University of New Mexico where she studied with Falko Steinbach. With the guidance of Dr. Jane Solose, Celeste obtained her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from the Conservatory of Music and Dance at University of Missouri-Kansas City. As a trained ballet dancer of 16 years, Celeste immediately recognized her love for both the music and dance of Argentine tango. She joined L.O.F.T ensemble (La Orquesta Fusion Tango), subsequently became the pianist of the professional tango band - Tangonero, and most recently a member of the Orquesta Tipica Domo. Celeste has received coaching from highly esteemed tango musicians, namely Pablo Estigarribia, Gustavo Casenave, Adrian Enriquez, Nicolas Ledesma, Emilio Solla, and Hector Del Curto to refine her skills.
Ken Miller is a versatile double-bass player who works in many genres. He played with the SF Symphony, SF Opera, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestras, and The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he is active on the San Francisco Jazz scene, having performed with many top level players including Branford Marsalis, Bruce Forman, Mark Levine, and Mimi Fox.
$15 online until January 20, $25 after January 20. Tickets may be purchased at the door the day of the concert.

Questions? Email Michelle Rosengaus at [email protected]

Host or Publisher Oshman Family JCC