QuartettoGelato.ca
Virtuosic showpieces, romantic tenor arias, pyrotechnical solos, blazing gypsy show pieces, multi-instrument mastery and a World Accordion Champion – this is Quartetto Gelato.
For nearly two decades, this dazzling ensemble has enchanted audiences and critics worldwide with their exotic blend of musical virtuosity, artistic passion and humor. Classical in training – eclectic by design – Quartetto Gelato (QG) not only thrills its audiences with its multi-instrument mastery, but also offers the bonus of a brilliant operatic tenor. With a performance repertoire that spans the globe including classical masterworks, operatic arias, the sizzling energy of tangos, gypsy and folk songs, the group’s theatrical stage presence and relaxed humor establishes an intimate rapport with audiences worldwide.
QG established themselves as dominant forces on the music scene early in their career by winning the coveted title of NPR Performance Today’s Debut Artist of the Year. The selection panel concluding the quartet was “an amazing ensemble that achieves the nearly impossible: they play salon music with real style and classical music with real precision; Great chops and a commitment in all that they play.” In 2007, the group’s first DVD Quartetto Gelato: A Concert in Wine Country! was picked up by PBS throughout the U.S. for broadcast. Most recently, QG won the honor of Best Classical Ensemble at Canada’s 2010 INDIE awards.
Their Concert in Wine Country DVD is seen regularly on PBS. Two of their CDs have literally been heard around the world, since they accompanied Canadian astronaut, Dr. Robert Thirsk, during his NASA flight on board the space shuttle Columbia.