Samantha Cole, Weather Vane student newspaper
From a show of hands, it was many audience members’ first tango concerto. QuinTango makes for a feisty introduction to this vibrant genre, and a world-renowned treat for longtime tango enthusiasts. On Oct. 17, they brought the flavor of Buenos Aires to EMU’s own Lehman Auditorium.
“We don’t pass out seatbelts; sometimes we’ve been asked to,” quipped Joan Singer early in the evening. Singer is the violinist, founder, and director of QuinTango, beginning in 1995. Four other classically trained musicians and friends comprise the rest of the quintet: violinist Jennifer Rickard, bassist Libby Blatt, cellist Kerry Van Laanen, and pianist Phil Hosford. Dancers Carina Losano and Anton Gazenbeek also brought the music to life throughout the performance.
The theme of the evening was “Tango’s Women: Inspiration, Obsession, Muse.” After intermission, three of the four female musicians changed from their long, black skirts into pink and purple blouses paired with black slacks, perhaps symbolizing women’s empowerment. “The men and the women come together – the wonderful, wild, entangled places that they meet – and the heartbreak that follows when they separate; that is the subject of so many tango lyrics,” Singer says.
Ellie Cook, first-year and cellist in EMU’s chamber orchestra, enjoyed watching the interaction between musicians. “I like how when they’re playing, they look at each other…they make a point to make eye contact with each other,” she commented.
Five of the group’s 15 songs featured tango dance. Gazenbeek likened the instantaneous communication that occurs between dancers to their “legs [having] a conversation” …a give and take of leading, following, and moving forward. Singer also explained the phenomenon of improvised dance. “The focus and the attention that they have to pay,” she said. “That intensity is one of the things that generates the intensity that you all feel, sitting in your seats.”
There was a small mishap during the song “Balada para un Loco,” a particularly frantic yet beautiful dance number in which Losano recited the lyrics between steps. Losano’s microphone pack came off during a spin, yet she gracefully recovered from the tense moment.
Although QuinTango is full of energy and intrigue, the event saw little student attendance. Cook mentioned that rainy, cold weather and the men’s soccer game might have deterred broader participation.
During the talkback with the musicians after the concerto, Singer explained the differences between classical orchestra and tango. “That’s one of the things that makes it fun for us on stage…when you’re playing music, you know, it tugs at your soul. There are things you wanna do and play,” she said.
For more on the award-winning quintet, visit quintango.com. Learn more about the music program at EMU…