FOR COSTS PLEASE CONTACT THE UTAH ARTS COUNCIL OFFICE OR OUR OFFICE INDICATED BELOW  

OUTREACH OPTIONS - Our Educational Programs on Argentine Tango are unique and are specifically designed to assist music and dance departments at educational institutions. We offer a basic workshop geared towards students and local performing musicians. It may include: demonstrations, history on instruments, open discussion with hands on participation and a short performance. Other options available.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS – Due to the variety and complexity of this presentation it is impossible to list in this brief space all the technical requirements. Please go to our Web page for full technical requirement information.  Performer can provide most of the technical requirements elements and operators requested under a separate rental and service agreement. For a full multimedia supported performance and full ensemble with dancers the performing area should have a minimum dimension 32´ minimum proscenium opening x 25´ minimum depth. http://www.rioplata.org/index2.html

SMALLER PRESENTATION VERSIONS ARE AVAILABLE SEPARATE FROM THE UTAH ARTS TOUR. PLEASE CALL US NOW TO SECURE YOUR DATE!

              801.370.0203 Fax
 

PRESENT UTAH’S OWN -- DANIEL DIAZ,

HIS BANDONEON AND THE TANGO CAMERATA

ON A ROMANTIC TANGO TIMES CONCERT

 

Tango Times ™ is a unique multimedia enhanced musical event that reviews the history of the Argentine Tango with narration, music, songs and optional dances. It begins with one of the early roots of the Argentine tango, the African candombe followed by the gauchos’ milonga campera, which derives from the Habanera and the Spanish milonga Andaluza. From there the audience is taken to the milonga orillera, the early tango canyengue, to the tipical tango of the 40’ and 50’s and then finishing with modern tango, including the avant-garde tango of Astor Piazzolla -- an exciting fusion of tango, jazz and classical music.

 

Audience comments:

"different... exhilarating...   sensual...   intense..." “romantic”  "it gives you a different feeling of any music I listened to..."  "Impressive, vibrant and splendid performance". “Dan's mastery of the bandoneon is assured, experienced and soulful...” "Dan Diaz, Bandoneonist Extraordinaire... He is dancing with his finger tips.  The tempo, dynamics, mood are all tailored for what is happening in the moment". ”… this is the energy that Dan Diaz seeks, and what he means when he says: "We don't play live music; we play music that comes alive in your heart." “…an event that more than fulfilled our commitment with the City of Dallas to enrich the cultural life of its citizens…”

Artists Biographies:

Daniel Diaz – Bandoneonist and Artistic Director

Daniel Diaz is a native of Argentina and started his studies of music at age six. At age seven he performed for the first time at the theatre of San Nicolas and directed his first orchestra at 12. Also during his teenage years he played with tango orchestras in Buenos Aires. Winning the Mar del Plata Music Festival allowed him to start performing in this resort city radio stations, casino and many area nightclubs. In 1970 he immigrated to the United States and completed studies in music, audio, acoustics and recording arts at Brigham Young University. While living in Atlanta, he performed with The Atlanta Virtuosi later doing the premier performance of Tango Times and The Tango Camerata in 1994, at the Wooddruff Arts Center in Atlanta -- a program with 13 musicians, produced and directed by Mr. Diaz. He has performed at Emory, Stanford, Georgia State, Swarthmore, Duke and Brigham Young Universities; at the Hispanic Festival in the Franklin Quest Stadium and in the presentation of the Operetta Maria de Buenos Aires of Astor Piazzola with the opus Chamber orchestra in Salt Lake City; at the Herbs Theatre, the City Hall and the Old First Church in San Francisco; and many other Argentine Tango Dance clubs and venues in the USA. He is also founder and Artistic Director of The Rio Plata Institute traveling to cities in the USA to teach, organize and direct groups of local musicians to perform Argentine Tango frequently visiting Denver, Kansas City, Washington DC, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Houston, New York, Dallas, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Out of a hand full of professional bandoneon players in the world -- and only a three in the USA -- it has been said of him: “the most traveled bandoneon player in the US.” During his recent month long tour in the USA, Mr. Diaz took Tango Times and The Tango Camerata to Duke University and to the Triangle Tangueros Club dancers in North Carolina; to Los Angeles renown Conga Room with singer Lucio Arce; to Washington DC for the recording of a CD, a dance for the Argentine Tango Dancers of DC to Swarthmore University concert/dance in Philadelphia; then to Denver -- where the ensemble plays every month at the Mercury’s ball room, since 1999! Mr. Diaz includes a variety of renowned artists to enhance his ensemble.  The names may change from time to time but be assured he only travels with the finest world-class musicians, singers and dancers.

Pablo Aslan – Double Bassist - Argentine-born bassist and composer Pablo Aslan is recognized internationally as one of the leading figures in the tango revival of the last decades. He has recorded several CDs and toured throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia touring in the US and Japan with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and members of the Astor Piazzolla Quintet. He appeared at Carnegie Hall and on PBS with “Tango Magic”. Mr. Aslan has worked with artists as varied as Shakira, Lalo Shiffrin, Jorge Calandrelli, Adrian Laies,  Carlos Franzetti, Da Camera of Houston, David Krakauer’s Klezmer Madness, the New World Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Maurizio Najt – Pianist - He has performed and toured extensively throughout the USA, Europe and Russia, and more recently, Buenos Aires,  for the "Festival International de Musica". Mr. Najt has performed with the Panamerican Symphonic Orchestra in Washington D.C., at the World Financial Center in New York, at Lincoln Center Plaza. More recently he played in the musical "Todo Tango" in NYC, which received and ACE award in 2002, and toured Japan's 'tango diva' Anna Saeki.

 

Our objective at The Rio Plata Institute is that music and dance teachers, students and local patrons can be culturally enriched with this passionate music and dance which is presented in its true Argentine form and style.