The duo
first met in Portugal in the mid nineties while taking master classes with
Cuban composer guitarist Leo Brouwer.
It was
not until 2006 when the opportunity arose to record Brouwer’s complete works
for guitar duo for Argentine record label Pairecords that they decided to work
together as a duo.
Argentina
and Wales have strong links and this has become the centre point for the duos
activities; there are large Welsh colonies in the Patagonia region of southern
Argentina formed by Welsh immigrants in the late 1800’s who were looking to
find a place to keep their language and traditions alive. To this day Welsh is
spoken in many areas of Patagonia (see additional page).
The duo
is exploring the musical heritage of both countries and performs works from the
folk traditions as well as pieces by living composers from Wales and Argentina.
To date
renowned Welsh Guitarist composer Stephen Goss has arranged a set of well known
Welsh folksongs for the duo, Howard Rees has written an elegy to the late great
welsh composer Alun Hoddinott and Dafydd Bullock has recently completed ‘Voyage
to Patagonia’ a 6 movement musical depiction of the journey of the original
Welsh settlers
The guitar is almost the national instrument of
Argentina and the duo perform many pieces from the folkloric repertoire of the
country including important works by Walter Heinze, Fernando Millet (Papas de
Balcarce), Astor Piazzola, Marcelo Coronal and Carlos Moscardini. The Tango and
Milonga are the most well known dances outside of Argentina and these are
represented in the duos programme along with less well known Argentine dances
including the Huella, Chamame, and Chacarera.
The duo
gave their debut performance at the International guitar festival of Mar del Plata
in 2006 and has since performed extensively throughout Argentina and the UK
including performances at the Monmouth festival of music in Wales, Norwich arts
festival, Ewenny festival in Cardiff, Cultural centre of General Roca in
Patagonia and at the ICPNA international guitar festival in Lima, Peru. In 2009
they were invited by the Patagonian arts council to perform in all the Welsh
enclaves in southern Patagonia.
As well
as live concerts they have appeared on BBC radio in the UK and on various
television and radio programmes in South America.
"Interludio"their debut CD is available
throughout the world and includes music from the UK, Cuba and Argentina. It
contains the complete duo works of renowned Cuban composer Leo Brouwer as well
as Argentine folk music by Walter Heinze and British music by Steve Marsh and
John w. Duarte.
The duo’s latest CD ‘Voyage to Patagonia’
contains all the new music written for them as well as some of Argentina’s most
famous guitar music.
