Tango Argentino Prize

It is with the aim of making the music of Buenos Aires known that, since its first edition in 2010, the International Violin Competition of Buenos Aires has awarded a special prize to the performance of Argentine Tango. In 2012, the pieces which enter the competition for this Prize – an eliminatory instance – have the peculiarity of including compositions with special violin arrangements made by the Argentine violinist Vicente Zito.

Resulting from great experience and improvisation ability, the “Estudii y Capricci” by Zito were written at the request of Maestro Ruggiero Ricci, to be performed and recorded. They are today a valuable addition of violin didactics and culture in popular works.
Rafael Gintoli, Artistic Director of the Second International Violin Competition Buenos Aires 2012, has this way of explaining the value of Zito’s arrangements: “ I got to know Vicente Zito’s music for the first time at Argentine pianist’s house, Sylvia Kersembaum, when one of Zito’s children (a singer at the National Choir) handed me the studies and capricci material.
I knew one of them, “La Cumparsita”, since he had performed it as an encore in one of Ruggiero Ricci’s concerts. I was also able to appreciate the very Ricci’s own recording material. It was a huge surprise to discover that not only were they fantastic musically (in order to enjoy listening to them), but also they were written with every single detail for their performance, which proved that Zito had been a great violin performer. I would like this small contribution we are making to this violin Competition to make these wonderful new violinists know and make the world familiar with these musical jewels.”

Tango Prize - First International Violin Competition Buenos Aires 2010