Solidaridad Tango
Vocals, violin, bandoneon, piano
PHOTO | BoliMedia
Solidaridad Tango
Valeria Matzner | voice
Aparna Halpé | violin
Yolanda Tapia or Mayu Funaba | piano
Shinjoo Cho | bandoneón
True to their name, Solidaridad Tango reflect all of the vibrancy of a dance and culture steeped in passion and resilience. From the first rich slide of bow on string, you find yourself transported into an invigorating interplay of Latin-inspired rhythms.
In 2021, Sri Lankan-Canadian violinist Aparna Halpé first brought together a group of talented women to showcase tango-inspired performance. The resulting conversation between violin, bandoneon and piano is enhanced by poetry and vocals that run the gamut from wistful to fiery.
Be warned … time spent with the music of Solidaridad Tango just might spark a desire for more.
“… exceptional, extraordinary emotional musical power. Poems that touch your heart and soul, music that gives you borderless, universal pleasure.”
> Frankie Pfeiffer, Paris-Move editor-in-chief
BIOGRAPHY
With sold-out shows in Toronto, New York and Buenos Aires, Solidaridad Tango is reinventing tango music for a new generation of female performers. Their repertoire encompasses classics by Piazzola and older works from the Golden Age of tango as well as contemporary selections, and includes new music by women tango composers and arrangers from around the world.
Solidaridad’s debut album “Distancia” (2023) was nominated for New/Emerging Artist and Best Instrumental Album in the 20th Anniversary edition of the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2025. Their album of virtual recordings of classic tangos Che Buenos Aires will be released by Lulaworld Records in 2025. The ensemble returns to Buenos Aires to record their upcoming album, with Latin-Grammy winning producer Igancio Varchausky at the production helm. They also run a community orchestra for amateur musicians in Toronto, and offer workshops for professionals, amateurs and school programs.
The women of Solidaridad Tango acknowledge that they are fortunate to practice their art on the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the New Credit, in the area covered by Treaty 13. They strive to honour the teachings of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Treaty in their practice and art.
“Packed with passion, oozing with originality, and played with perfection, DISTANCIA is an exciting listen from musicians unafraid of boundaries.”
> Songlines, UK
APARNA HALPÉ
The founder of Solidaridad Tango, Aparna Halpé is a Sri Lankan-Canadian tango violinist, arranger, and composer based in Toronto. She holds Licentiates of the Guildhall School of Music and the Royal Schools of Music, UK. In Sri Lanka, Halpé debuted and subsequently performed with the Sri Lanka Philharmonic. Halpé has over a decade of experience performing, arranging, and composing traditional Argentine Tango and she continues her education under the guidance of Guillermo Rubino, Ignacio Varchausky, Julián Peralta, Ramiro Gallo, Diego Schissi, and Charles Gorczynski. She was the co-founder of the ensembles Ruta 7 Duo and Amarras Tango in Toronto, and has performed with the Reed Tango for Musicians Festival, Stowe Tango Festival, and Tanguero Workshop Festival orchestras, at multiple tango festivals in Toronto, and with tango ensembles across North America. Halpé created Solidaridad Tango to create great tango in Canada, and to affirm the diversity and talents of women in tango.
SHINJOO CHO
Bandoneonist, composer and pianist Shinjoo Cho began her music studies in Korea and continued her music development in tango, chamber, and improvised music in the US and Argentina. She has collaborated with music, dance, and filmmakers in multi-disciplinary projects and performed on notable stages and festivals in the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Korea. Her notable performances include appearing as a solo pianist for the president of Argentina at the inauguration of Centro Cultural Kirchner. Shinjoo studied bandoneon with Santiago Segret, Luís Caruana, Matias Gobbo, and Hector del Curto and tango piano with Hernán Possetti and Cristian Zárate.
VALERIA MATZNER
Uruguayan-born/Toronto-based singer-songwriter Valeria Matzner bridges the iconic roots, rhythms, and melodies of her native South America with her own ever-evolving and exploratory stylistic eclecticism. Her music encompassing everything from the excitement of candombe and samba and the passion of tango to the grungy pop appeal of rock and the improvisational heights of jazz.
She has been featured at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Victoria Jazz Festival, Beaches Jazz Festival, among others and at music venues in Tokyo, Manila, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto and New York.
MEET OUR 2025-26 UPCOMING SEASON ARTISTS
