Quartango
When four classically trained musicians come together to explore their passion for tango, the result is nothing short of delightful. QUARTANGO takes tango in new directions, with impeccable arrangements, subtle and unexpected allusions to classical music, and a liberal dose of humour, all woven together by the elegant interplay of ensemble playing at its best.
Quartango offers up a varied repertoire ranging from the best-loved classic tangos to tango nuevo and Piazzolla, and also explores other genres from jazz and ragtime to waltzes and Celtic jigs in its own inimitable style. Quartango has charmed audiences across the world. They stole the show at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops in 1996, and received enthusiastic accolades for their performances at the Montreal International Jazz Festival and the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. The group's appearances with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec and the National Arts Centre Orchestra were a hit with critics and audiences alike.
Quartango breathes new life into a genre that has a tendency to become mired in nostalgia or bridled by a rigid purism. The four members are equally at home in an intimate chamber music setting, with a symphony orchestra or at a jazz festival. The effervescent chemistry between the musicians and their engaging rapport with the audience create a memorable musical experience that never fails to bring down the house Charles-Étienne Marchand(violin) - Born in Abitibi, in North-West Quebec, the violinist Charles-Étienne Marchand studied for the most part at the Quebec Conservatory of Music – first in Val d’Or with Silviu Parlea, then in Montreal with Anne Robert – where he was awarded unanimously the Prize with Great Distinction. Thereafter, he continued his studies with Gyula Stuller and Gabor Tackas-Nagy at the Tibor-Varga Academy in Sion, Switzerland. He has also participated in numerous summer study programs, among others that of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara (California).
As alternating concertmaster with the Jeunesses Musicales’ World Youth Orchestra, he performed in Europe’s best concert halls. His marked theatrical interests have led him to participate in two major productions: Nancy Huston’s "Une Adoration (Théâtre du Nouveau Monde- Lorraine Pintal)," as well as Tchekhov’s "Le Moine Noir (UBU, National Arts Center – Denis Marleau)." This last production, for which he created Denis Gougeon’s original music for violin and soprano, toured extensively in France, Belgium, and Canada for more than a year. Moreover, he has performed with the chamber orchestra Les Violons du Roy, the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, the Montreal Contemporary Ensemble, and with the Goldberg Quartett Wien (Austria). Since 2006, he is a member of Quartango and with them was soloist at the Regina Symphony Orchestra.
René Gosselin (double bass) - A consummate entertainer, Quartango's pyrotechnician of the double bass is also a member of the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne and principal double bass with the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal. A founding member of Quartango, René also teaches at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal.
Noémi Racine Gaudreault (violin) - the newest member of Quartango also plays regularly within the l’Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal, Ensemble Synapse as well as Violons du Roy.
Richard Hunt (piano and arrangements) - Richard is a founding member of Quartango; it is his sophisticated arrangements that give the group its unmistakable sound. He has performed with the Société de Musique Contemporaine du Québec and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and has taught at McGill University. Several of his compositions have been recorded.
Douglas Schmidt (bandoneon) - Douglas Schmidt received his Doctorate in Music Composition from the University of British Columbia in 1992. He recently completed a three year term as resident composer with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra and was a sessional lecturer at the University of Victoria. His compositions have been performed internationally. He has appeared on Much Music and BRAVO and is featured on 5 Juno award winning recordings.
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