The Dutch violinist Isabelle van Keulen is an international concert soloist, but she is constantly breaking out from this role. Thus, she has also played as a violist. In 2011, together with bandoneon player Christian Gerber, double-bass player Rüdiger Ludwig and pianist Ulrike Payer, she founded the Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble, specialising in tango nuevo and the music of Astor Piazzolla. And since 2019 she has been Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss, combining solo performance with orchestral playing by directing the chamber ensemble from the orchestra leader’s desk.

For the album “Variaciones de Buenos Aires”, van Keulen has brought together these two quite distinct ensembles. Her project is palpably an affair of the heart. In any case, the combination of tango ensemble and string orchestra is a most unusual environment for Piazzolla’s music.