The Guitar in Tango
The talk will focus on the tango language and how to understand it. As an introduction, Mr. Diaz will discuss the history of the guitar in the tango, followed by an analysis of tango notation, its evolution, and the diverse ways to perform what is written.
The presentation will be followed by our Open Mic. Sign up in advance to play — see the Member Events page for details. NYCCGS Member Events are free and open to all members and first-time guests, and are supported by a generous grant from the D’Addario Foundation.
Thursday, May 4, 2017, at 7:00 PM
Manhattan Theatre Club Creative Center
311 West 43rd Street, 8th floor, between 8th and 9th Ave. (map)
New York City
Born in Mendoza, Argentina, Federico Díaz is an upcoming, versatile musician of the new generation of guitarists, with a multi-faceted career as a performing artist, arranger, and composer. His performances have taken him to distinguished festivals and concert halls in more than 20 countries, including Wiener Saal and Solïtär (Salzburg), Otto Braun Saal (Berlin), Clara Schumann Saal and Kleiner Saal der HfMDK (Frankfurt am Main), Stadttheater (Mainz), Lisner Auditorium (Washington DC), Trinity Center (Philadelphia), SCAR (Rio Grande do Sul), Teatro Solis (Montevideo), and Teatro Independencia (Mendoza). He has appeared as soloist with the National University of Cuyo Symphony Orchestra, the Mozarteum University Chamber Orchestra and the Polish Chamber Orchestra Sopot.
Federico is an avid chamber musician, concertizing regularly with Lionel Cottet (cello), Emilio Argento (viola), Ada Meinich (viola), and a variety of string quartets. As a soloist member of Ensemble d´Argent, a string orchestra based in Frankfurt am Main, he has had the opportunity to perform new works as well as new arrangements for guitar and string orchestra every year since 2012.
Celebrated for expanding the guitar repertoire, Federico has premiered works written for him by many composers such as Juan Falú, Bruno Cavallaro, Miguel Barreilles, and Agustín Castilla Ávila. He has also made and premiered a large number of transcriptions with his on-going chamber music groups, including pieces by Franz Schubert, Luigi Boccherini, Pablo de Sarasate, Atahualpa Yupanqui and Astor Piazzolla.
In addition to classical music, Díaz has a passion for tango, Argentinian folklore, and improvisation. He has been featured as a leader, arranger, and guest artist with many important musicians of the scene in Argentina as well as in Europe. Currently he is working with Bruno Cavallaro in a new program for violin and guitar based on new versions and new compositions of young tango composers. Additionally, he continues performing with tango pianist Pablo Woizinski (duo DiaZ-WoiZ) and with jazz pianist Juan Emilio Cucchiarelli (duo Doble Tango).
The label Epsa Music (Argentina) released in 2014 his newest CD, Perspectiva 204, of the duo DiaZ-WoiZ. In 2013 he did the premiere recording of Divertimento on Austrian Folk Songs by Bernhard Romberg, with Lionel Cottet (cello) for Sony Classical. His first duo album Danzarín with Doble Tango was recorded in 2009 and presented in many world music and jazz festivals across the globe.
Federico completed the highly selective Master of Arts program at the University Mozarteum Salzburg. He received his Bachelor degree (summa cum laude) from the National University of Cuyo. His former teachers include Cristina Cuitiño in Argentina, as well as Eliot Fisk and Ricardo Gallén in Austria. Looking to expand his knowledge in other directions, he participated as an active member of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute´s clasess during the 11th Panama Jazz Festival, taking lessons with Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Marco Pignataro, and George Garzone.
As a sought-after teacher for Argentinian and classical music, he has been invited to give masterclasses in universities, conservatories and festivals in Germany, Mexico, Uruguay, and Argentina. Recently, he moved to New York City to continue his studies with David Starobin at the Manhattan School of Music. Federico plays a guitar made by Argentinian luthier Arnoldo García, who is based in Granada, Spain.
