Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Summer @ The Wallis Presents Salastina

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts continues Summer @ The Wallis on its outdoor stage with Salastina, an LA-based chamber music ensemble nationally recognized for its accessibility and “elegant virtuosity” (Huffington Post), which celebrates the 100^th birthday of “Tango Master” Ástor Piazzolla with his original arrangement of Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, a set of four tangos for piano, violin, bandoneón (a type of Spanish accordion), electric guitar and double bass, on August 7, 2021, 8 pm. Other Piazzolla works on the tango-themed program include Le Grand Tango and Romance del Diablo. Salastina also performs Jalousie 'Tango Tzigane' (Jealousy 'Gypsy Tango' ) by Danish composer Gade; Rodriguez’s quintessential tango La Cumparsita; the evocative Piano Sonata No. 1 by Argentinian composer Ginastera; and Boulanger’s Trois Pièces for Cello and Piano. Salastina features Maia Jasper White and Kevin Kumar, violins; Meredith Crawford, viola; Yoshika Masuda, cello; HyeJin Kim, piano; Philip Graulty, electric guitar; Nathan Farrington, double bass; Seth Asarnow, bandoneón.

Piazzolla was born in Argentina and grew up in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where he became a bandoneón virtuoso and immersed himself in jazz and classical music before returning to Argentina to play in tango orchestras and, ultimately, develop his distinctive tango nuevo style, infusing tango with elements of jazz and classical and bringing him international acclaim as a composer.

“Salastina is deeply engaging, delighting audiences with its incredibly diverse repertoire and creative performances,” says The Wallis’ Artistic Director Paul Crews. “These artists expand the notion of chamber music, taking it to another level.”

Salastina, founded in 2010 by violinists Kevin Kuman and Maia Jasper White, who describe chamber music as “the indie rock band of the classical music world,” is comprised of world-class studio musicians who have been featured on a range of iconic film and television scores. Over the past decade, American Public Media’s prestigious Performance Today – the most listened to daily classical music radio program in the country – has featured more than two dozen Salastina performances on its airwaves, reaching millions of people nationwide. The ensemble’s free Happy Hour Tuesday digital presentations featuring live musical performances, spirited conversation and interaction with musicians and other music lovers, has also drawn legions of fans from around the globe.

For safety updates and protocols, please visit https://thewallis.org/safety

Tickets for Salastina, $40, are on sale now for all events. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills. To purchase tickets and for more information, please visit www.thewallis.org, or call 310-746-4000 (Tue.-Fri. 9:30 am – 2:30 pm).

About the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts: 

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is a dynamic cultural hub and community resource where local, national and international artists share their artistry with ever-expanding audiences. The campus, located in the heart of Beverly Hills, CA, is committed to robust and distinctive presentations and education programs curated with both creativity and social impact in mind. Distinguished by its eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its location in the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis has produced and presented more than 300 dance, theater, opera, classical music, cinema and family programs since its doors opened in October 2013. Hailed as “au courant” (LaLa Magazine), The Wallis was lauded by Culture Vulture, which proclaims, “If you love expecting the unexpected in the performing arts, you have to love The Wallis.” Its programming has been nominated for 79 Ovation Awards and nine L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Awards. The campus itself, a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot facility, celebrating the classic and the modern, has garnered six architectural awards. Designed by acclaimed architect Zoltan E. Pali (SPF:architects), the restored building features the original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places), which serves as the theater's dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and includes the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Goldsmith Theater; the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater; an inviting open-air plaza for family, community and other performances; and GRoW @ The Wallis: A Space for Arts Education, where learning opportunities for all ages and backgrounds abound. Together, these elements embrace the city's history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for L.A.-area visitors and residents alike. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is led by Chairman of the Board Michael Nemeroff, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Rachel Fine and Artistic Director Paul Crewes.