Raul Jaurena turns 70 – 60 years of tango

Raul Jaurena - Bandoneon “For me a day without my bandoneon is unimaginable. I live and breathe each day anew with it”, relates bandoneon virtuoso Raul Jaurena. The bandoneon, erstwhile companion of Astor Piazzolla, could easily be called tango personified. Son of famed bandoneon player Francisco Jaurena, growing up on the Rio de la Plata in Montevideo during the golden era of tango, Raul Jaurena has lived the tango for almost 60 years. He was taught to play the bandoneon by his father and has played in the great tango orchestras of Latin America, as well as working with the likes of Yo-Yo Ma, the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker, Giora Feidman and Paquito D´Rivera. He is considered one of the world’s top present-day bandoneonists. He was awarded the Latin Grammy for his tango CD recording ‘Te Amo Tango’ in 2007. His popularity in Germany has soared in recent years as a result of his extended tours with the Giora Feidmann Quartett and the Tango Five ensemble. He will be celebrating his 70th birthday in August 2011.
Find out more at: www.rauljaurena.com

Bernd Ruf – Passionate about the clarinet

Bernd Ruf - clarinet Clarinettist and conductor Bernd Ruf, who grew up against a backdrop of classical and popular music alike, became interested in the sound spectrum of his highly versatile instrument from an early age. How does the clarinet sound in Alpine folk music, in eastern European or Turkish folk music, in traditional or modern jazz, in klezmer and ultimately in tango? As a result he has developed his own sound that resonates with the numerous genres that have influenced him over the years.
Bernd Ruf is one of today’s most creative conductors, musicians and academics in the field of classical crossover. Musicians from different cultural and musical backgrounds come together in his projects: ORF Radiosinfonieorchester of Vienna, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra New York, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Joe Lovano and Randy Brecker to name but a few.
Bernd Ruf became professor of popular music, jazz and world music at the Lübeck Academy of Music in 2004. He was nominated for a Grammy for the best classical crossover album in 2001.
Find out more at: www.berndruf.de

Jaurena Ruf Project

Raul Jaurena and Bernd Ruf are united by a deep musical and personal friendship. This is evident time and time again when they make music together, as the bandoneon and clarinet merge to become a single entity. And even when playing with an orchestra, Jaurena as a soloist and Ruf as conductor, their musical energies seem to flow in unison. Their symphonic cooperation began in 1999 with the premiere of a Latin Symphony with the ORF Rundfunkorchester in Vienna, and has continued ever since with various symphony orchestras and the CD recording Symphonic Tango Night. They have performed with the Tango Five ensemble in Montevideo, Buenos Aires, New York, Tiflis and across the whole of Germany for the last 13 years. They have also released four tango-infused CDs with this ensemble.