Quinteto Yzafa (pronounced “ee-SAH-fuh”) is an ensemble dedicated to a fresh, dynamic approach to traditional Argentine tango music. With backgrounds in classical music as well as jazz, bluegrass, Arabic music, Latin American folk and popular dance styles, the musicians perform tangos, valses and milongas from the 1910s through the present day.  Performing dynamic new arrangements with the variety and intensity to entertain concert audiences, while never losing the danceable essence of the style, Quinteto Yzafa has delighted audiences ranging from schoolchildren to serious tango dancers.

The ensemble’s sound features the bandoneón, the characteristic 71-button relative of the accordion whose distinctive timbre is essential for traditional tango music, filled out with the depth of  rich sonorities of a full string section (violin, cello and double bass) and piano. Bandoneonist and composer/arranger Michael O’Brien spent several years studying tango music in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has created for the group a repertoire of little-known and original tangos, valses and milongas as well as many of the genre’s classics.

Educational Outreach

What is tango? Where does it come from? Why does the music sound the way it does? What do the words mean? What are the dancers doing?

While we enjoy performing for social dances and entertainment, we have always believed that a deeper understanding of the music we play makes it more meaningful to audiences (and to us).  Educational outreach has always been an important part of our mission as an ensemble.

Quinteto Yzafa offers a range of educational performances and teaching presentations that explore the relationship between the music, dance, text, and their cultural context in Argentina. Michael O’Brien, the group’s main arranger and bandoneonist, designs and leads our educational performances. He holds a doctoral degree in ethnomusicology and has published on tango music in encyclopedias and academic journals. He is also a licensed public school music teacher with over fifteen years of teaching experience with student groups ranging from elementary school to adult education. 

Quinteto Yzafa has conducted these educational performances for middle school, high school, university and adult education classes. We can work with school teachers or administrators to customize a presentation in line with your curricular benchmarks and standards. We can conduct these teaching performances in English or Spanish.

“Their presentation was an incredible mix of music, dance, Argentinian culture, instrument information and just plain fun!  Any teacher interested in introducing students to music of a different culture should consider inviting Quinteto Yzafa into the classroom!”

-Leyla Sanyer, Oregon High School Music Department

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