There is surely no more celebrated name in the world of tango than that of the composer and bandoneonist Astor Piazzolla. His fame and influence extend beyond the genre with which he is most associated and he is, in fact, considered one of the most influential Argentinian composers of any genre. By incorporating elements of jazz and classical music, Piazzolla modernised traditional tango and created a new style, tango nuevo, which he helped popularise around the world. His compositions simultaneously demonstrate his mastery of the principles of classical composition and a thorough familiarity with the scores of composers such as Igor Stravinsky, Béla Bartók and Maurice Ravel. The Münchner Virtuosen are known for performing on instruments by famous makers such as Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati and Guadagnini, which give
a particularly rich sound to performances of both classical and popular works. The chamber orchestra’s charismatic music director, solo violinist and conductor Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici became the artistic director of the Munich Virtuosi in 2004. Having served as concertmaster of such worldfamous orchestras as the Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera and the Munich Philharmonic, he has also gained worldwide recognition for his solo performances and tours with various chamber ensembles, including the Celibidache Trio, which he founded in 1996. In 2013 he also took on leadership of the Mariinsky Stradivarius Ensemble.