Lorena Guillen Tango Ensemble offers free performance at Crafton Hills College

Publish Date: Oct. 2, 2018

Photo credit: Felipe Troncoso

The sounds and history of the Tango arrive at Crafton Hills College on Monday, Oct. 8 when the College welcomes the Lorena Guillen Tango Ensemble to campus.

The group of musicians travel across the country to introduce audiences of all ages to traditional tango standards and the modern take on the music surrounding the dance and art, which has ties dating back to the 18th Century.

Award-winning musician Lorena Guillen leads the ensemble composed of fellow artists Alejandro Rutty (piano and bass); Jacqui Carrasco (violin); Eric Willie (percussion); Guy Capuzzo (guitar); and Adam Ricci (piano).

The ensemble’s upcoming performance is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Room 308 of Crafton’s Performing Arts Center. The performance is free and open to the public.

Performances incorporate Guillen’s childhood memories, from first becoming mesmerized by the sounds of her grandfather’s tango and opera recordings, to attending music festivals with her father and “discovering the major figures of the Argentinian folk,” according to the group’s website.

“Those experiences cultivated (Guillen’s) musical passion and lead her to express herself through singing in this wide array of styles with the most natural flexibility,” it continued.

The ensemble’s stop in Yucaipa marks the group’s first-ever performance in California, said Guillen by phone.

“It’s so exciting to be able to take our music directly to diverse audiences,” she said. “We have been very fortunate having had the chance to perform a lot in our own communities and nearby states, but to be able to go to another state across the country is even more exciting because we can share our music with potential new listeners.”

Traveling to the unknown, of sorts, is an added bonus because it is a chance for the ensemble to create a “new connection, a new vibe,” she said.

Following the Oct. 8 performance, the group is booked for two additional shows in the Los Angeles-area.

“I find it very, very encouraging traveling to different college campuses because the type of music we plan helps us connect to students in different ways,” she continued. “College audiences are very curious and like to listen to new things. I hope to have that opportunity.”

To learn more about the ensemble, go to www.lorenaguillen.com.