Omar Massa (bandoneon)
Biography, Audio/Video, Discography, Photos, Concerto repertoire, Programmes
www.omarmassa.com
Biography
“He played a toccata and fugue by J.S .Bach on the bandoneon… If the Thomaskantor from Leipzig had been able to listen to Massa’s playing, both profound and blessed with a dance-like lightness, he would without any doubt have composed entire solo suites for his instrument. Massa is one of the great authorities on his instrument, equally at home in baroque music as in Argentine tango”
Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany)
Omar Massa is a bandoneon player, composer and arranger from Buenos Aires – Argentina, based in Europe since 2016. Regarded by the critics as an expert on Astor Piazzolla’s music – whose work he has interpreted from the age of six – Omar has often been the connecting bridge between classical music and Argentine tango music. He has performed and participated in projects with internationally renowned artists such as Placido Domingo, Eugene Kohn (Conductor of Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti), Bruno Delepelaire (1st Cello soloist, Berlin Philharmonic), Tomasz Tomaszewski (Concertmaster, Deutsche Oper Berlin), Máté Szücs (1st Viola soloist, Berlin Philharmonic), Markus Däunert (Concertmaster & co-founder of Claudio Abbado’s Mahler Chamber Orchestra), and Janne Saksala (1st Double Bass soloist, Berlin Philharmonic).
Omar has been a pioneer in taking his instrument to concert halls to play works from the academic repertoire, especially those from the European and Latin American Baroque. As a soloist he has performed with symphony orchestras and chamber groups like the Asturias Symphony Orchestra, the Romanian National Radio Orchestra, the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, the Moldova Philharmonic Orchestra, the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonic Stat Sibiu, the Brasov Philharmonic, the Kamerata Kronstadt among others. Omar has played in several important venues such as the Lincoln Center (New York), the National Concert Hall (Dublin), the Colon Theatre (Buenos Aires), the Palace of Fine Arts (Mexico DF) and the George Enescu Festival (Bucharest). As a composer he has written several works, among which his ‘Suite Patagonia’ and ‘Concertango’ were premiered in the Chamber Music Season of the Palace of Fine Arts of Mexico in 2013. Omar was nominated for the Gardel Music Awards 2014 (most important award in the recording industry in Argentina) for his CD ‘Tribute to Piazzolla’ and 25 years after Astor Piazzolla´s death (2015) his family invited him to play Piazzolla´s bandoneon. In addition to his artistic endeavours, Omar has conducted courses and masterclasses on bandoneon and on Astor Piazzolla’s music in universities around the world. His tours have been declared of ‘Cultural and Artistic importance to the country of Argentina’ by the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Omar has been a pioneer in taking his instrument to concert halls to play works from the academic repertoire, especially those from the European and Latin American Baroque. As a soloist he has performed with symphony orchestras and chamber groups like the Asturias Symphony Orchestra, the Romanian National Radio Orchestra, the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, the Moldova Philharmonic Orchestra, the Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonic Stat Sibiu, the Brasov Philharmonic, the Kamerata Kronstadt among others. Omar has played in several important venues such as the Lincoln Center (New York), the National Concert Hall (Dublin), the Colon Theatre (Buenos Aires), the Palace of Fine Arts (Mexico DF) and the George Enescu Festival (Bucharest). As a composer he has written several works, among which his ‘Suite Patagonia’ and ‘Concertango’ were premiered in the Chamber Music Season of the Palace of Fine Arts of Mexico in 2013. Omar was nominated for the Gardel Music Awards 2014 (most important award in the recording industry in Argentina) for his CD ‘Tribute to Piazzolla’ and 25 years after Astor Piazzolla´s death (2015) his family invited him to play Piazzolla´s bandoneon. In addition to his artistic endeavours, Omar has conducted courses and masterclasses on bandoneon and on Astor Piazzolla’s music in universities around the world. His tours have been declared of ‘Cultural and Artistic importance to the country of Argentina’ by the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Audio/Video
Photos (photographer: Camilla Berrio)
Concerto repertoire
Tango for bandoneon and chamber/string orchestra
Astor Piazzolla
1. Bandoneon Concerto “Aconcagua” for Bandoneon, Strings Orchestra and Percussion (20 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouTH4h6RCxg&t=5s
2. “3 Tangos” for Soloist Bandoneon, Strings Orchestra and Percussion (20 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alUkH-iPc48
3. “Suite Punta del Este” (18 minutes) for Soloist Bandoneon and Chamber Orchestra (strings orchestra and woodwinds)
4. “Double Concerto” for Bandoneon and Guitar with String Orchestra (16 minutes)
5. “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” (25 minutes) arranged for Bandoneon and String Orchestra.
6. “Five Tango Sensations” (28 minutes) Bandoneon and String Orchestra, Original for Bandoneon and String Quartet but commonly played with complete string section.
7. Instrumental pieces selection arranged for Bandoneon soloist and String Orchestra: “Adios Nonino”, “Oblivion”, “La muerte del Angel” , “Libertango”, “Milonga del Angel”, “Fuga y Misterio”, etc.
Omar Massa
- Tango Concerto for Bandoneon, Piano and String Orchestra (15 minutes), comissioned by the Embassy of Argentina in Germany for the Gala concert in Berlin Philarmonic on May 2019. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the partner city arrangement between Berlin and Buenos Aires under the auspices of the Embassy of Argentina together with the Berlin Senator for culture and Europe.
Baroque with bandoneon and chamber/string orchestra
G. F. Haendel
- Organ Concerto (Bandoneon version by Omar Massa) HWV 309 – Op. 7 No. 4 in D minor (16 minutes) Bandoneon and Chamber Orchestra
A. Vivaldi
- Concerto for Harpsichord (Bandoneon version by Omar Massa) RV 780, in A major (10 minutes) Bandoneon and String Orchestra
A. Marcello
- Oboe Concerto (Bandoneon version by Omar Massa) SF 935 – Op.1 , in D minor(10 minutes) Bandoneon and String Orchestra
J. S. Bach
- Harpsichord Concerto (Bandoneon version by Omar Massa) BWV 1055 – in A Major (15 minutes) Bandoneon and String Orchestra
Programmes Recitals/Chamber Music
From Baroque to Nuevo Tango
1) Bandoneon + Piano
J.S.Bach
Concerto in A Major BWV 1055 (15 minutes)
Marcello
Concerto in D minor SF 935 – Op.1 (10 minutes)
J.S. Bach
Sonata in C minor BWV 1017 (16 minutes)
Intermission
Astor Piazzolla
“Pedro y Pedro“ for bandoneon solo* (5 min)
Tango prelude no 1 “Lejia’s Game” for piano solo (4m 15s)
“Adios Nonino” for bandoneon + piano (8 min)
“Oblivion” for bandoneon + piano (5 min)
“Fugata” for bandoneon + piano (3 min)
“Night Club 1960″” for bandoneon + piano (6 minutes)
“Milonga del Angel” for bandoneon + piano (6 min)
Omar Massa
Nuevo Tango for bandoneon a+ piano (3 min)
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2) Bandoneon, Violin, Viola, Cello
Frescobaldi
Toccata No. 7 for Organ from “Secondo Libro di Toccate e Canzone”
Bach:
Prelude and Fugue No. 1 from “Eight Little Preludes and Fugues for Organ”, BWV 553-560
Vivaldi:
Cello Sonata in A minor, RV 43
Corelli:
Violin Sonata No. 3, Op. 5
Piazzolla
Ave Maria
Intermission
Astor Piazzolla
Lo que vendrá, Bruno & Sarah, Calambre, Night Club 1960, Oblivion, Milonga Loca, Café 1930, Adiós Nonino
Musical arrangements by Omar Massa