Biography
Gilberto Pereyra
Bandoneonist, arranger and musical director. Born in Argentina, based in Paris since 1991.
I · Buenos Aires
A calling born in Buenos Aires
Gilberto Pereyra discovered the bandoneon as a child through his father, himself an amateur bandoneonist. He grew up in direct contact with Argentine popular music and the tango tradition.
From 1974 to 1981 he studied the instrument with Julián Gaio and Domingo Mattio, then refined his playing with the master Néstor Marconi, a major figure of the Argentine bandoneon. From 1982 to 1985 he completed that training with studies in harmony and composition under Pedro A. Aguilar.
“The bandoneon is not a souvenir of tango. It is a living voice.”
In 1982 he founded the Sexteto Menor and from then on played the great tango halls of Buenos Aires: La Casa de Gardel, Caño 14, El Viejo Almacén, and the San Martín, Alvear and Cervantes theatres. He also appeared on radio and television with many ensembles and performers.
He shared the stage with Antonio Agri, Orlando Tripodi, Horacio Salgán, Néstor Marconi, Fernando Suárez Paz and Daniel Binelli, as well as León Gieco, Eladia Blázquez, Susana Rinaldi and Tango x 2.
1991
Buenos Aires — Paris
II · Paris
Paris, a new chapter
In 1991 he settled in Paris, which became the anchor of an international career. He joined Les Trottoirs de Buenos Aires as conductor and arranger. From there the bandoneon gradually left the sole territory of tango for concert music, contemporary composition, live performance and film.
A guest soloist with many ensembles and orchestras, he performs across Europe, the Americas and Asia. In France he plays regularly alongside the musicians of the Orchestre de Paris, at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Opéra Garnier, the Salle Pleyel, the Opéra Comique and the Maison de la Radio.
He has since worked with a range of ensembles: the Soloists of Covent Garden with Vasko Vassilev, the Misatango with Michel Piquemal and Martín Palmeri, and the Aconcagua Project with Beata Szalwinska. In modern tango and the music of Astor Piazzolla, he also plays with Tangoseis, the Quatuor Caliente, Duo Sud and Monumental Tango.
On stage
From tango halls to the great opera houses
Buenos Aires
- La Casa de Gardel
- Caño 14
- El Viejo Almacén
- Teatro San Martín
- Teatro Alvear
- Teatro Cervantes
France
- Théâtre du Châtelet
- Opéra Garnier
- Salle Pleyel
- Opéra Comique
- Maison de la Radio
- Opéra de Lyon
- Zénith
- Bercy
Europe
- Covent Garden
- Teatro San Carlo
- Teatro La Fenice
- Teatro Carlo Felice
- Concertgebouw
- Cologne Opera
- Palau de la Música
And many other stages across Europe, the Americas and Asia.
III · Encounters
Beyond tango
His collaborations reach far beyond tango: Milva, Paolo Fresu, Trilok Gurtu, Dino Saluzzi, Catherine Ringer.
In 1994 he contributed to the score of the film Le Joueur de violon, and his musical world has crossed projects by Claude Lelouch, Patrice Leconte and Albert Dupontel.
More than an interpreter of tango, Gilberto Pereyra belongs to a line of musicians for whom the bandoneon is an instrument of creation. His career follows one conviction throughout: keep the tradition alive without ever freezing it.
At a glance
Key facts
- Training
- ChildhoodFirst lessons with his father, an amateur bandoneonist
- 1974–1981Bandoneon with Julián Gaio and Domingo Mattio, advanced study with Néstor Marconi
- 1982–1985Harmony and composition with Pedro A. Aguilar
- Has played with
- Antonio Agri
- Horacio Salgán
- Néstor Marconi
- Orlando Tripodi
- Fernando Suárez Paz
- Daniel Binelli
- Tango x 2
- León Gieco
- Susana Rinaldi
- Eladia Blázquez
- Milva
- Paolo Fresu
- Dino Saluzzi
- Trilok Gurtu
- Vasko Vassilev
- Catherine Ringer
- the musicians of the Orchestre de Paris
- the Soloists of Covent Garden
- Ensembles
- Sexteto Menor
- Les Trottoirs de Buenos Aires (musical director and arranger)
- Tangoseis
- Quatuor Caliente
- Duo Sud
- Monumental Tango
- Misatango
- Aconcagua Project
- Film
- Le Joueur de violon, original score (1994)
- the worlds of Claude Lelouch, Patrice Leconte and Albert Dupontel
Discography
Livin’ Tango
Hyperion · Astor Piazzolla
Tangoseis
Destination Tango
Lucia Abonizio · Gilberto Pereyra
Misatango, Misa a Buenos Aires
Martín Palmeri
Plaza Francia
A New Tango Song Book
Boulevard Tango
Ensemble Hyperion
Encuentro
Astor Piazzolla · Gustavo Beytelmann · Quatuor Caliente
A Don Astor
Carrasco “H” Quartet
Opustango
Luis Rizzo Quinteto
Il y a de l’orange dans le bleu
Daniel Goyone
Live
Vasko Vassilev