The quintet
For more than twenty-five years, the Astor Piazzolla Quintet has preserved and honored the legacy of the revolutionary bandoneon player and composer, Astor Piazzolla. Throughout their extensive career, the Quintet has toured internationally across the United States, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, earning unanimous praise from critics and numerous prestigious awards. Among their most notable achievements are two Latin Grammy Awards for Best Tango Album (2019 and 2023), further raising their reputation and prestige on the global stage.
The Quintet is composed of five virtuoso soloists with renowned careers, all deeply committed to Piazzolla’s aesthetics and artistically shaped under his direct influence:
- Pablo Mainetti (bandoneon)
- Matías Feigin (piano)
- Serdar Geldymuradov (violin)
- Armando de La Vega (guitar)
- Cristian Basto (double bass)
Under the musical direction of Julián Vat, the Quintet keeps alive Piazzolla’s extensive body of work, preserving the essence of his transformation of tango into a unique art form.
In 1960, Astor Piazzolla formed his original Quintet, choosing the bandoneon, violin, electric guitar, piano, and double bass as the key instruments for his formation. This lineup played a vital role in the development of Nuevo Tango, a genre he pioneered throughout that decade, leaving a lasting impact on the history of world music.
The musicians who accompanied Piazzolla were exceptional performers, valued by the maestro for their ability to reinterpret and enrich his music with their own unique style and personality. During the 1970s, Piazzolla’s move to Europe led to the Quintet’s temporary suspension. However, in 1978, the Quintet reunited with a new formation of musicians, accompanying him until 1988. This period marked Piazzolla’s rise to international fame, with a repertoire blending the Nuevo Tango of the 1960s with innovative new compositions that gave birth to authentic masterpieces.
In recent years, the Astor Piazzolla Quintet has released five albums and a series of singles, not only celebrating the composer’s vast legacy but also recovering and revaluing some of his lesser-known compositions of exceptional musical value. Among their most recent albums are Revolucionario, Fugata, En 3×4, Triunfal, and Operation Tango. With remarkable interpretative skill, the Quintet has revitalized Piazzolla’s classics and lesser-known works with a fresh spirit, making their music feel as though it emerges directly from the composer’s mind.
To honor and celebrate the work of this musical genius, the Astor Piazzolla Quintet offers a unique experience that pays tribute to his expansive creative universe. In a single concert, the Quintet combines and contrasts Piazzolla’s academic works with his popular repertoire, highlighting different moments of creativity, intensity, and passion. Their music connects the past with the present, preserving the essence of one of the greatest musical geniuses of the 20th century.
As a bandoneon player he has formed part of important groups and tango ensembles such as: Leopoldo Federico, Julian Plaza, Emilio Balcarce, the Buenos Aires Tango Orchestra, Carlos García, Sexteto Mayor, Atilio Stampone, Osvaldo Berlingieri, Néstor Marconi, Rodolfo Mederos, Orquesta Juan de Dios Filiberto, Julio Pane, Daniel Binelli, among others.
He has accompanied world class singers such as Roberto Goyeneche, María Graña, Raúl Lavié, Rubén Juárez, Susana Rinaldi, Alba Solís, Amelita Baltar, Eladia Blazquez, Ute Lemper, Mercedes Sosa, Joan Manuel Serrat, among others. He has recently participated in the final album project of the renowned pianist and composer Luis Vidal.
As a soloist, he has performed with Symphony Orchestra of Teatro Liure (Barcelona), National Orchestra of Spain, BBC London, National Orchestra of the Capitol of Tolouse, Gulbenkian Orchestra of Lisboa, Orchestra of Granada, Symphony Orchestra of Navarra, OCB (Orquesta Ciudad de Barcelona), Symphony Orchestra of Praga, Orchestra of Poitiers, Orchestra of Niza, among others.
He has recorded the “Concierto para Bandoneón y Orquesta de Astor Piazzolla” for Harmonia Mundi, with the Chamber Orchestra of Teatro Liure, under the musical direction of Josep Pone.
Mainetti has also performed various arrangements of Piazzolla’s tango works for bandoneon and symphony orchestra, conducted by Ernest Martinez Izquierdo, a co-production between OCB and Symphony Orchestra of Navarra.
He premiered “Three Movements for Bandoneón and Ensemble”, written especially for the Composer Conference of 2018 at the Brandeis University, directed by Mario Davidovsky and conducted by James Baker.
As a composer, he has had his work performed live during the screening of the silent film “La vuelta al bulín”, by José Ferreyra, at the Buenos Aires Tango Festival of 2017.
As a soloist, he has also performed with National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina under the musical direction of Pedro Ignacio Calderón, Facundo Agudin, Mariano Chiacchiarini, Jose Maria Sciutto and Luis Vacalov.
Some of his nominations and accolades include: Latin Grammys 2004 for his CD Album “Tres Rincones”, Premios Clarín for Tango Personality of the Year, Premios Ace for the opera “Ultramarina”, and the Premios Gardel for Best Tango Album with the Mainetti-Angeleri Duo.
He was distinguished and awarded with the Diploma of Merit in the category of Classical Music Instrumentalist by the Konex Foundation in 2019.
Currently, he leads his own ensemble, Pablo Mainetti Quinteto, and is part of the Mainetti-Angeleri Duet. Since the year 2019, he has formed part of the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, taking on the role and responsibility of principal bandoneon, and has toured extensively promoting the music of the maestro Astor Piazzolla.
Cristian Basto is an Argentine musician with an outstanding career as a double bassist, composer, arranger, and conductor of tango orchestras. Since early 2024, he has been the double bassist of the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla.
He studied at prestigious institutions such as Universidad Maimónides and the Conservatorio Superior Manuel de Falla, specializing in contemporary and Latin American music. His training also includes composition, arranging, and conducting studies with renowned mentors such as Diego Schissi and Juan Pablo Navarro.
Throughout his career, Basto has received several major awards, including two Premios Carlos Gardel, a Latin Grammy nomination (2024) for his arranging work, and an Honorable Mention at the SONUS International Music Festival for his piece Surera for double bass and piano.
He has collaborated with many of the leading figures in tango and popular music, including Amelita Baltar, Julieta Laso, Raúl Lavié, Pablo Mainetti, Susana Rinaldi, Diego Schissi, and the Quinteto Real, among many others. His versatility has also led him to perform and record with artists from a wide range of genres such as Luis Alberto Spinetta, Andrea Motis, Cristina Branco, Chango Spasiuk, and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.
He has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (USA), the Teatro Colón (Argentina), the Oriental Art Center (China), and
festivals such as La Villette (France), Lollapalooza Argentina, and the Roskilde Festival (Denmark).
With a deep connection to Piazzolla’s work and a contemporary approach to tango, Cristian Basto brings strength, musicality, and sensitivity to the current formation of the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla.
Since March 2025, Matías Feigin has been the pianist of the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, bringing his extensive experience in tango and Argentine popular music to the official ensemble carrying forward Piazzolla’s legacy.
An accomplished Argentine pianist, Feigin has built an international career that positions him as a leading figure in contemporary tango performance. His training and artistic sensitivity have allowed him to represent the expressive richness of the genre on stages around the world.
He has served as pianist and musical director for the legendary Raúl Lavié, performing in major productions such as Piazzolla Inmortal both in Argentina and abroad. Since 2011, he has been the pianist and musical director of the renowned Tango Fire company, touring over 30 countries and performing in prestigious venues such as London’s Peacock Theatre, Beijing Opera House, Olympia de Montreal, and the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
Feigin has also worked as pianist and musical director for Tango Buenos Aires international productions, in collaboration with TFG and Royal Caribbean, further expanding his global reach as a tango performer.
Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with notable tango artists including Virginia Luque, Alberto Podestá, and Juan Carlos Godoy, and has contributed as arranger and session pianist at El Yeite Studio, participating in the recording of numerous albums.
Dedicated to education, he has also taught at institutions such as the Beethoven Conservatory, sharing his knowledge and passion for piano and tango with new generations.
His incorporation into the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla marks the continuation of an artistic journey that blends virtuosity, deep respect for tradition, and a contemporary approach to the music of the great master of nuevo tango
Serdar began his music studies at the age of 7 at the School of Music of Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. He was selected during an international contest among the best young musicians to study at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Russia. After which he continued his studies at the National Conservatory of Music in Ashgabat. At 12 years old he won an international violin contest among Central Asia and Kasakstan, and also obtained the “New Names” Award in 1991 in Turkmenistan.
He was the concertmaster for orchestras such as the Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Opera and Ballet Theatre, and the Chamber Orchestra SAZ in Ashgabat, National Symphony Orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestra del Alto of Bolivia, among others.
He became the Head of the Violin Department at the National Conservatory of Music in the city of La Paz, as well as in the Municipal School in the city of El Alto, Bolivia.
As a soloist he has formed part of and participated in many diverse orchestras across Latin America, as well as participating in numerous chamber ensembles.
In 2007 he integrated the Cuarteto Sinfónico of Bolivia as first violin.
He joined the Symphony Orchestra of Salta in 2008, frequently participated in the Symphony Orchestra of La Plata, as well as the “Juan de Dios Filiberto” Orchestra in Argentina.
He was invited to participate in a series of performances with the Camerata Bariloche. And he also formed part of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In 2010 he was selected through open auditions as soloist and substitute concertmaster for the Orchestra of the Teatro Colón.
Currently he is the principal violinist for the ensemble Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, with who he tours around the world, promoting the legacy of the composer who revolutionized tango.
In 1999 he joined the quintet of renown pianist and composer Pablo Zielger, touring in cities such as San Pablo, Rio de Janeiro, Friburgo, Belo Horizonte (Brasil), Haifa, Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem (Israel), Festival de jazz de La Pataia (Uruguay) – with Paquito de Rivera and Brenda Feliciano as special guests -, as well as the Buenos Aires Tango Festival from 1999 to 2004; in the Festival of the Siete Lagos in the city of Bariloche.
He forms part of several ensembles with Pablo Ziegler, including the Nuevo Ensamble Porteño which performed the operita “María de Buenos Aires” by Astor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer, in the cities of Bologna and Ravenna (Italy) in 2002, in addition to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Hungary in 2004.
He has also formed part of the Rodolfo Mederos’ quintet since 1984, with important performances around the world, including the International Festival Cervantino 1989, 1992, 1999, 2004 (Mexico), the Symphony Orchestra of San Pablo (Brasil), Expo-Sevilla 1992, International GREC Festival 2002 (Spain) with Joan Manuel Serrat as special guest, Symphony Orchestra of Caracas (Venezuela), Tango Festival in Zurich (Switzerland), the Cumbre de las Américas 2002 (Canada), and Symphony Orchestra of S.O.D.R.E (Uruguay).
In 2002 he was invited to perform as a soloist with the Symphony Orchestra of Oviedo in Spain, interpreting “Concierto de Liega” by Léo Brouwer, and “Doble Concierto para Bandoneón, Guitarra y Orquesta”, and “Concierto de Nácar” by Astor Piazzolla.
He was the guitarist for the album “Más Tango” by vocalist Adriana Varela.
In 2010 he performed in the show “Del amor” alongside the poet Juan Gelman and the Rodolfo Mederos Trío at the Auditori of Barcelona. With the same ensemble he was selected to perform at the opening of the Buchmesse Gala at the Alte Oper of Frankfurt, Germany, along with the maestro Daniel Baremboin.
In 2012 he participated in the album “Pa que trabaje el grandote” with double bass player Sergio Rivas, a work that explores the history of the double bass in the music of tango.
He has performed and worked with artists such as Nicolás Ledesma, Saúl Cosentino, Pablo Mainetti, Osvaldo Piro, Liliana Herrero, Mercedes Sosa, Antonio Agri, César Camargo Mariano, Romero Lubambo, Joan Manuel Serrat, Martirio, Paquito de Rivera, among others.
He has taught numerous workshops and seminars on tango guitar in countries such as Switzerland, Germany, Thailand, Colombia, Brasil, Suriname, Guyana, as well as in Argentina.
Flute, saxophone and musical director
Since 1990, Julián Vat has performed as musical director and musician for great musical figures such as Julio Bocca, Juan Carlos Copes, Miguel Ángel Zotto, Lidia Segni, Chet Walker and Ana María Stekelman to name a few.
Vat is author to more than 70 musical creations for cinema, ballet and theater. He has also directed performances such as “Cabaret”, “Pingo Argentino”, “Tango de burdel salón y calle” and “Operatango” in Argentina and abroad.
He has recorded “La Historia del Tango” alongside Cacho Tirao, presenting the work in Europe and Argentina. He’s also worked with Mercedes Sosa, Enrique Morente, Joan Manuel Serrat, and he’s presented himself as soloist with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Mar del Plata at the Teatro Colón, interpreting music by Astor Piazzolla.
Among his many awards and recognitions, the most notable consist of: Ace award, the Hugo award for musical theater, and the Martin Fierro award for his work in musical theater, film and television.
Since 2000 he has interpreted and directed music performances for the Astor Piazzolla Foundation, bringing the Maestro’s music to stages all around the globe.
Laura Escalada Piazzolla
Founder and Emerita Director
Lyrical singer and former television host Laura Escalada Piazzolla met Astor Piazzolla- a composer who revolutionized the music of tango and created his own unique genre- in 1976 while conducting an interview with him. Shortly thereafter, the two married in France and never parted ways.
In 1995, three years after he passed away, Laura Escalada Piazzolla created the Astor Piazzolla Foundation to preserve and promote his legacy.
As the President of the foundation, Laura Escalada Piazzolla has brought back the famous quintet formation, now Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, through which she realizes ongoing performances of the maestro’s works around the globe.
