TangoMundo presents a Tribute to Piazzolla

Saturday 2 August 7.30pm

What is this music? Tango, jazz, classical?

Sounds of the city, sounds of people, passion, power, despair, drama, romance, regret; traversing Bach fugal influences, improvisation, Latin jazz, and the re-invention of the tango form.

No-one composed like Piazzolla, the magician of the bandoneon.

TangoMundo presents a programme of the best and least known of Piazzolla’s works, some never played in Australia before. Featuring (from the National Academy of Tango, Buenos Aires) tango scholar and arranger Guillermo Anad on viola, Faye Bendrups on piano and voice, and Anthony Schulz on accordion.

“The great achievement of TangoMundo is to mix classical and popular nuances of my father’s music using an unexpected combination of only three instruments: viola, accordion and piano. This is a novel and entirely Piazzollean approach” Daniel Piazzolla, Buenos Aires.

Guillermo Anad: Music Director/Arranger/Viola

Guillermo Anad is a composer, arranger and writer from Buenos Aires. He has worked as an orchestral musician (violist) in Argentina, Paris and Berlin and his compositions have been performed and recorded in Europe and the Americas. Anad is a specialist in the life and music of Astor Piazzolla and has published widely on Piazzolla and other tango-related themes. He has completed over 100 arrangements of Piazzolla’s compositions for various ensembles in Argentina, Spain, Belgium and Australia. Anad studied with Szymsia Bajour (the first violinist to record with Astor Piazzolla's quintet) and performed in Argentina with the Antonio Agri Ensemble, The Mariano Mores Tango Orchestra, bandoneonists Leopoldo Federico and Edelmiro “Toto” D’Amario, violinst Fernando Suárez Paz; and in Paris with the Cuarteto Cedrón and Gustavo Beytelmann.

Faye Bendrups: Piano/Vocals

Faye Bendrups' performing arts career began in Australia in the 1970s at venues such as the Pram Factory, La Mama and Nimrod, working as a director, actor, writer and composer. Her compositions have been commissioned by Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, Playbox Theatre, Handspan and Drama Project Trust, among others. Bendrups directed the stage musical Buddy: the Buddy Holly Story in Australasia, and performed the role of Yoko Ono in Lennon: the Musical of the Legend. In 2024 She was awarded ‘Best Actress’ in the New York United Solo Festival for her portrayal of Lina in The Fabulous Life of Lina Prokofiev.

Anthony Schulz: Accordion/Piano

Anthony Schulz has devoted his life to the art of music, exploring and showcasing theversatility and refinement of the piano accordion. Anthony has graced the stage with numerous highly acclaimed ensembles and projects, from Luciano Pavarotti to ECM's Barre Phillips, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and ARIA award-winning Zulya and the Children of the Underground. His musical vision spans various genres, including chamber music, original compositions, world music ensembles, and improvisation. Anthony holds key roles as the Committee Chair of Victoria's iconic multicultural music organization.