An Argentinian in Ekaterinburg

Almost 1 week ago, on August 10th, I took a low cost 2 hour flight from Moscow that saved me the 37 hours of train to get to Ekaterinburg.
Arrived in the night and my friend Lilia picked me up at the airport and drove me to her house. She has a beautiful apartment 20 minutes by car from the city center and for my convenience, has a piano too :). I’m very thankful for all the hospitality I got from her as she took me to many places around and I got to know very well a city in which last year with Tangel Trio we spent not even a full day.

The purpose of this trip to Ekaterinburg was getting to know Andrey Kolyasnikov and his Fantango ensamble with whom we would have a concert together.
I got the program once I was already in Ekaterinburg, and got to know that we would only rehearse the day before the concert and a bit during the soundcheck. Of course this is not a big deal with such great musicians, but at that point everything was a bit uncertain.

We rehearsed at the main auditorium of the city’s conservatory, where Andrey teaches. He is some kind of prodigy, with only 26 years old, apart from his teaching duties at the conservatory and music schools, he is the conductor of the most important philharmonic orchestras in the Urals, where he conducts Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky among other of the great composers.

I felt some instant chemistry at the rehearsal with the guys of Fantango which was good to feel a bit more relaxed about the next day’s concert.

The EverJazz club was packed, all tables taken, and the public enjoyed 1,5 hours of a mix of old-school and new tango pieces. The response was great and we all went home very happy with the result. The ensamble included vibraphone, percussion, violin, double-bass, accordion, bandoneon and piano.
For me it is always a pleasure playing the music of my country with foreigners who enjoy and consider this a great opportunity for them. It was also my first time playing together with a bandoneonist, it has probably one of the saddest and beautiful sounds you can hear when you hear it live, a true unique experience.

Tonight I’m taking a 13 hours train to Omsk, where another great project awaits. I save beautiful memories from my stay in Ekaterinburg, a great concert, and having met great musicians with whom I expect new opportunities together in the future.

Hasta luego! 🙂