Lepistö & Lehti + Kosmos Ensemble + Fugata Quintet

An accordion trail from Finland through the Balkans to Argentina.

The fiery thread running through tonight’s concert is the accordion and the tango. This exciting triple bill opens with the brilliant Finnish accordion and double bass duo Lepistö and Lehti, who have a shared history in Finland’s most successful contemporary folk band Värttinä and have played as a duo since 2004. Their imaginative journeys are extraordinary, evocative of “wailing minarets, desert storms, icy wastes and northern mists” - Songlines. And don’t forget, after Argentina, Finland is the second home of the tango.

Innovative and unique, Kosmos Ensemble unite the rich texture of the classical string trio with the depth and integrity of music from around the world. Featuring International prize-winning accordionist Miloš Milivojević, sophisticated jazz glides magically into wild Gypsy fiddling, emotive Balkan music into hot-blooded tango, Arabic improvisation into Greek melodies. Described as “Revelatory.....their wild synthesis of tango arrangements, Jewish folk songs, Leonard Bernstein riffs and improvised takes on Vaughan Williams was an unexpected gift: brilliantly done with style and spunk.” (Michael White, The Telegraph). They perform their own compositions and arrangements, soulful improvisation and entrancing dance rhythms with panache and virtuoso technique. 

Fugata Quintet are an international group specialising in the music of Astor Piazzolla – dramatic and dark with a visceral excitement and bite. Passionate about Piazzolla’s nuevo tango, the quintet use his preferred arrangement for bandoneon/accordion, violin, guitar, piano and bass. With its powerful rhythmic tensions and instrumental colour this will make an extraordinary finale.

See the full Songlines Encounters Festival programme
A limited number of festival passes and Songlines subscriber offers are available
____________ 

Lepistö & Lehti perform Radio Moskova from Aito Records on Vimeo.

Lepistö & Lehti I Kosmos Ensemble I Miloš Milivojević I Fugata Quintet
Photo credit: Kosmos Ensemble, Pierre Marcar / Lepistö & Lehti, Nauska

Curated by Songlines Magazine and Ikon Arts Management 
Lepistö & Lehti’s performance is kindly supported by ESEK