Payadora Tango Ensemble to play in Caledon this February

Ensemble is the latest group brought to town by Caledon Chamber Concerts

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

An award-winning ensemble is coming to play a show in Caledon early next month.

On February 3, the Payadora Tango Ensemble is coming to play a show in the great hall at St. James Anglican Church in Caledon East — the home of concerts brought to Caledon by the non-profit group Caledon Chamber Concerts.

New Classical FM 96.3 describes the Payadora Tango Ensemble as a beloved ensemble that is tango and beyond.

“It is world. It is classical. It is jazz. It is tango… a delicious swirl of music that is the Payadora Ensemble.”

According to Payadora's website, the ensemble performs its own arrangements of a core repertoire drawn from Argentinian and Uruguayan traditions: tangos, milongas, waltzes and folk music. 

Payadora also composes its own songs inspired by those traditions. The group is even endorsed by the Argentinian Consulate in Toronto for its adherence to the spirit of tango.

In 2023, the ensemble embarked on a sold-out tour of Europe, stopping in Madrid, Copenhagen, Budapest and London. The group also released its third CD last year — Silent Tears: The Last Yiddish Tango — which ascended to the top spot on world music charts in Europe.

The Payadora Tango Ensemble consists of Rebekah Wolkstein on violin and vocals; Drew Jurecka on bandoneon, violin, and mandolin; Joseph Phillips on double bass and guitar; Robert Horvath on piano; and Elbio Fernandez on vocals. 

Wolkstein has worked as an orchestral musician since the age of 16 when she won an audition. She's performed and toured with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, The National Ballet of Canada and The Canadian Opera Company. She also teaches music out of her own private studio and at Humber College.

Jurecka is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, arranger, composer and producer. Among many endeavours, he is a violin teacher at Humber College where he helped to create Canada's only jazz strings post-secondary program.

Horvath is described as a versatile pianist who has a passion for education. He founded the Horvath School of Music in 2002 and has a Masters Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and the Bela Bartok Conservatory of Music in Hungary.

Phillips was raised in Toronto and began studying classical guitar at the age of nine. It wasn't long before he picked up the double bass as well, and since then he's played with a wide variety of groups — primarily Orchestra London Canada, where he's principal bass.

In the music world, Fernandez is known as “the little giant of tango”. He was born in Uruguay where he learned to love tango, and moved to Canada in 1989. He's performed all across North and South America, and has been collaborating with the Payadora Tango Ensemble since 2017.

Those interested in attending the upcoming Payadora Tango Ensemble concert can visit caledonchamberconcerts.com or call 905-880-2445.