World class tango artist Martín Alvarado to perform in Liverpool

ONE of Argentina's finest and most significant tango vocalist, Martín Alvarado, will be returning for his third performance in Liverpool, as part of his 26th international tour.  His performance at the Nordic Church, on Saturday, 2 November 2013, at 7.30pm, part of Alvarado 7th tour of Britain, will see the award winning troubadour perform with classically trained pianist and bandoneonista from Finland, Mikko Helenius. Alvarado said:- "I am very much looking forward to singing again in Liverpool with Mikko who is a great musician and we have a lot of fun on stage together. The Nordic Church sounds a great venue - Mikko will feel very at home there as in Finland he works as a church organist among other things."

Helenius, with whom Martín is recording his next album in Finland, studied music at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and learned to play the bandoneon from some of the instrument's Argentinian maestros in Paris. The button accordion, which is central to the tango sound, is renowned for being an extremely difficult instrument to play. Helenius is thought to be unique in the world for having mastered the ability to play both the piano and bandoneon simultaneously.  Lisa Cherry-Downes, Alvarado's UK and Europe manager and promoter, said:- "Martín is a genuinely great artist and a great performer, and is invariably well received wherever he performs in the UK. He appeals to all sorts of music lovers from opera to rock. He and Mikko work really well together and seem to have an intuitive relationship on stage with their magical performances often improvised and tailored to suit a particular audience. No show is ever quite the same; there are always a few surprises."

Alvarado, from Buenos Aires, has won wide acclaim for his exceptional tenor voice. Increasingly, he is being recognised as one of the most significant vocalists in tango, drawing comparisons to Carlos Gardel, Argentina's tango singing superstar who died in 1935. In March, Alvarado picked up the Latin UK Award for Concert by International Artist of the Year and in August, his last album was released globally by one of the leading world music record companies, World Music Network, on their prestigious Riverboat label. The album, Guitar Tango - Más Allá, has had rave reviews and airplay on BBC Radio 3.  As a live performer Alvarado is known for his commanding and charismatic stage presence and mesmerising emotional connection with his audiences. His acclaimed and carefully chosen repertoire features work by Argentina's most celebrated poets and composers, including rarely heard work by Astor Piazzolla. He discovered his talent to sing at the age of 19, by chance, while studying guitar in Buenos Aires. A few years later he travelled to Spain where he was spotted singing in Barcelona and invited to perform in Finland, where tango is hugely popular. News of his talent quickly spread and within two months of arriving there, he was performing with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra.  Since then he has performed more than 400 times in many major classical music venues and festivals, had numerous TV performances in Finland, Russia and Argentina and collaborated and performed with some of the leading musicians in the genre. Among the highlights of his career was performing as a soloist in a concert of tango nuevo with the Jyväskylä Sinfonia orchestra and world renowned tango nuevo ensemble Quinteto Otra Vez in Finland under the baton of internationally renowned flautist Patrick Gallois in 2008.   Alvarado has also starred several times in Piazzolla's operita María de Buenos Aires including sold out performances at the renowned Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland in 2012 where he was invited to perform for the 2nd time due to popular demand. 

Tickets for the concert are £12 on the door and £10 in advance from the Nordic Church on:- 0161 907 5555. Visit:- l-tangopromotions.com for more information.