6. A surprise collaboration: Fantango

About Andrey Kolyasnikov & Fantango

Back in July, while I was busy preparing for PetroJazz, I received an unexpected message from a musician named Andrey Kolyasnikov. He suggested a collaboration with his orchestra, “Fantango.”

Andrey’s credentials are impressive. He is the director and conductor at the Ural State Conservatory “Mussorgsky,” head of the symphonic orchestra at the Ural College of Music, and conductor at the Sverdlovsk School of Music “Tchaikovsky.” To my great surprise, he also plays the Bandoneon.

He is based in Ekaterinburg, where he leads “Fantango,” a well-known ensemble that has performed in numerous philharmonic halls and won first prize at the International Accordion Competition in Klingenthal, Germany.

I’m really looking forward to meeting the group tomorrow. We have a huge challenge ahead: just one day of rehearsal to prepare a program of 18 songs (featuring solo piano, the ensemble, and us together).

The concert will be held at the most prestigious jazz club in the Urals: EverJazz. This place is special to me, thanks to my friend Ilya, Tangel Trio performed there last year and recorded our first full concert DVD. It will be a pleasure to see their great staff again!

Check out Fantango in action here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RBmsYiJLEU