a) A Touch of Latin

"A Touch of Latin" is a swinging latin/classic music style project which grew out of collaboration between violinist Ann Vancoillie and guitarist Juan Pablo Lopez Recabarren. It celebrates the typical music of Latin America distilling its themes from e.a. tango, milonga and salsa in combination with classical themes in combination with improvisations of both musicians. The correctness of a viruoso latin style and swinging accompagnements is guaranteed by the Latin American background of Juan, while the classical interpretation, technique and virtuosity is guaranteed by Ann's classical background. With its exclusive arrangements of guitar and violin made by Juan Pablo Lopez Recabarren and Ann Vancoillie, as well as their improvisational skills on violin and guitar, this outstanding duo deliver an exhilarating interpretation with each performance. Ann Vancoillie enjoyed a classical education (First prizes, Higher diplomas for violin as well as for chamber music and teaching qualifications at the Mozarteum Salzburg and the Royal Conservatories of Ghent and Brussels, plus masterclasses with several great masters), works as a soloist first violin in the Flemish Opera Ghent/Antwerpen, also plays as a guest baroque violin and modern violin in several known baroque and contemporary ensembles, improvises her own music, sometimes in collaboration with visual artists She played as a soloist with several major orchestras, chamber ensembles and has created several works written especially for her. A combination of music from different worlds and periods with a love for the proper performance practice and accuracy of style is always her goal for each composition that she brings. She plays on a beautiful violin made by Carlo Giuseppe Oddone, her bow is made by J.B. Vuillaume. Very recently she was selected as Belgian violinist to play in the World Peace Orchestra with 21 musicians of the United Nations representing their country in South-Korea. She performed as a soloïst in the military Camp Greaves and with the WPO, and as a leader of the second violins in Busan and in the Dorasan Station, the DMZ that divides North-Korea from South-Korea. Juan Pablo Lopez Recabarren, born in Chile, honed his personal style playing with great artists of the genre. Playing in Salsa orchestras with latino musicians made him play for hours the latin repertoire, ideal to develop a virtuoso technique on the guitar. As a soloist he plays his own music as well as the existing latin music, always in personal versions on the existing themes in swinging arrangements of the music. As a South American, Chilean, he knows better than anyone the repertoire and interpretation of this music which makes a special blend in combination with the classical style of the violin in this duo. . Guest guitarist Juan Antonio Caffiero Jorquera, who is also born in Chile, lives now in Brussels where he worked together with the Algerian artist Abdelli. Similar to the music life of Juan Lopez, he performed in salsa groups where he developed the technic and style. They both played together in the group El Sur. Next to the guitar he plays the Kena and the quatro guitar. The synergy between these three exceptional artists inspires an enormous impact on all who have the good fortune to hear them. "A Touch of Latin", een project dat gegroeid is uit de samenwerking met violiste Ann Vancoillie en gitarist Juan Pablo Lopez Recabarren. Het project brengt een enorm stuwend en swingend programma, gebaseerd op o.a. de Latijns-Amerikaanse typische tango's, milonga's, salsa-melodieën enz. De thema's werden bewerkt voor gitaar en viool, waarbij de gitaarpartij volledig bewerkt is tot een persoonlijke versie door gitarist Juan Pablo Lopez Recabarren en waarbij de vioolpartij een combinatie is van bestaande thema's en improvisaties door violiste Ann Vancoillie. Tijdens de uitvoering wordt er aldus nog verder geïmproviseerd op de thema's wat een enorme drive en artistieke stuwing aan het optreden geeft. Naast de Latijns-Amerikaanse muziek brengen Ann en Juan ook klassiekere zigeunermuziek, joodse klezmermuziek en roemeense hora's waarbij zij eveneens hun eigen virtuoze versie van de bestaande thema's brengen met een hier en daar een eigen touche als variatie op de ritmes en melodieën.Vanaf het eerste concert dat zij samen brachten veroverden zij de harten van het publiek en worden zij door meerdere organisatoren gevraagd om een optreden te verzorgen.Het bijzondere van dit duo is de verschillende invalshoek van de twee musici die een samensmelting vindt in "A Touch of latin". De correctheid van de Latijns Amerikaanse stijl wordt gegarandeerd door de Latin achtergrond van Juan, terwijl de virtuose klassieke stijl gegarandeerd wordt door Ann's klassieke achtergrond wat voor een "special blend" zorgt.