Soundstreams to Close 2014-15 Season with Latin Music Tribute

Soundstreams concludes its 2014/2015 season with an electrifying afternoon of Latin music in tribute to the 2015 Pan American/Parapan American Games. Artistic Director Lawrence Cherney has assembled an all-star ensemble of world-renowned musicians, including guitar virtuosos Grisha Goryachev and Fabio Zanon, Argentinian bandoneon player Héctor Del Curto, Colombian singer Maria Mulata, Canadian pianist and composer Serouj Kradjian, emerging percussionist Sarah Thawer, and Canadian bassist Jeffrey Beecher. Encuentros will explore a wide diversity of Latin music styles, as well as feature two world premieres by Canadian composers Andrew Staniland and Mark Duggan.

Virtuoso Russian flamenco and classical guitarist Grisha Goryachev is known for his extraordinary musical sensitivity and technical skill. He joins Brazilian guitarist Fabio Zanon, acclaimed worldwide for his both his solo and chamber guitar work, to perform the modern masterpiece Choro by Andrew Staniland, in a world premiere. Also known by the composer as "The Joyful Lament for Villa-Lobos," Choro is a humble, joyful homage to the music of Heitor Villa-Lobos, a Brazilian composer who is the best known and most significant Latin American composer of the 20th century. The Globe and Mail has deemed Juno Award-winning pianist Serouj Kradjian "a keyboard acrobat" of "crystal virtuosity." With members of the ensemble, he will perform newly reimagined works with flavours of flamenco and tango, commissioned by Soundstreams and The Royal Conservatory of Music.

The Latin Grammy Award-nominated Maria Mulata is recognized as an up-and-coming Colombian singer, whose high-energy performances incorporate an array of new sounds in her vastly folkloric repertoire. Argentinian bandoneon player Héctor Del Curto's decades-long career has taken him throughout the globe, performing as both a soloist and with his Tango Quintet. These world-class performers will all join together to explore the sultry and sensual sounds of Latin music, and its myriad of styles, for an afternoon of music exploring afro-samba, fandango, klezmer, jazz, tango, flamenco, and Colombian indigenous songs.

Soundstreams Artistic Director Lawrence Cherney has curated an engaging program which celebrates these diverse musicians and their respective styles. The musicians will join together for the second world premiere on the program, a work by Canadian composer Mark Duggan. Encuentros is presented in partnership with The Royal Conservatory's 21C Music Festival.

Soundstreams' free Salon 21 at the Gardiner Museum on May 8 at 7:00 pm features an exploration of instruments from the percussion family, and their influence on Latin American music.