QuinTango

Washington, DC’s chamber tango quintet steeped in the passionate music whose heat will peel the varnish off your floors, with concerts in quintet and symphony settings, optional championship dancers and expertly tuned outreach events.

“One of Washington’s finest instrumental ensembles.”
– The Washington Post

“Haunting melody, rhythm that makes every part of your anatomy move, a feeling of warmth and enthusiasm … downright wonderful.” – Charleston Post and Courier

In the words of the U.S. Ambassador to Argentina to the group, “Tonight, you conquered Buenos Aires.” On the domestic front, QT continues to conquer home-grown audiences with their unique approach and masterful, exquisite performance. It’s classical music that induces heavy breathing. It’s popular entertainment that’s tethered in elegant style and grace. It’s virtuosic chamber music that requires one to lower the thermostat. Like jazz and blues, tango delivers heartbreak, humor and romance in dazzlingly diverse styles. QuinTango’s distinctive sound (two violins, cello, bass & piano) is shaped by arrangements created by some of the greatest tango masters in Buenos Aires. A typical QuinTango concert includes 14-18 tangos interspersed with engaging narratives and anecdotes. Concert patrons follow tango’s journey from the immigrant neighborhoods along the Rio de la Plata to the gilded salons of Paris and finally to the international concert stage. Championship tango dancers are optional, and QuinTango offersa substantive menu of outreach programs designed for students K-12 through university. QuinTango also provides an exquisite program for symphony.

A Presenter’s Point of View: Your pulse goes all over the map. From their opening musical phrase, audience attention zooms to full strength. QT’s warming up an audience is never an issue. It may be more an issue of your “cooling” them off as the evening progresses. By the time the guest dancers enter, you want to distribute those little fans or towels. QuinTango’s educational programs far surpassed my expectations. Students were mesmerized. The children couldn’t move fast enough, or orderly enough, at the end of the event when they were invited to come up to meet the artists and touch the instruments. This was Tango bingo.