VI.BE

SONICO was created in Brussels (Belgium) in 2015 as the only group (worldwide) dedicated to recovering & performing the music of Eduardo Rovira. Originally a quartet, SONICO has now become a multinational 10-member ensemble, one of the few specialized modern tango orchestras in Europe. The group has not only distinguished itself for its approach to historically informed performance in tango music but also its archival research work: the transcriptions carried out by SONICO recovered both lost and unreleased repertoire.

In August 2018, SONICO's first album Eduardo Rovira: La Otra Vanguardia was released at the Tango Festival BA (Argentina) during the group’s first tour through Latin America. La Otra Vanguardia is the first album exclusively dedicated to the work of Eduardo Rovira. Eduardo Rovira: Inédito e Inconcluso, SONICO’s second album, was released in March 2020. This album is based on Rovira’s final recorded material (1976), which was never edited or released. Inédito e Inconcluso was the result of a major effort of research using manuscripts and non-commercial recordings.

SONICO has developed a strong artistic relationship with the choreographer Lisi Estarás (Les Ballets C de la B/ Alain Platel), resulting in the dance creation MY HEART IS THE MUSCLE THAT WE LIKE TO WORK OUT, which premiered at De Grote Post (Ostend). This project was also presented at Les Plateaux (2020 edition) in Paris. The collaboration with Lisi Estarás will continue in September 2022, with A BIGGER THING, a creation by Estarás, as the season-opening at the Opera Ballet van Vlaanderen Ghent. This participative creation with 60 dancers is based on the previously unstaged ballet "Buenos Aires" by Rovira. For this production, SONICO will be collaborating with musicians from the Opera van Vlaanderen orchestra.

In March 2021, SONICO paid tribute to the 100 years of Astor Piazzolla at the Klara festival / BOZAR, Center for Fine Arts Brussels. This concert, broadcast on Belgian public television, was the most watched of the entire festival. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, SONICO was able to conduct a second Latin American (Ecuador and Colombia) tour in September 2021.

Afterward came the release of SONICO’s third album, Piazzolla-Rovira: The Edge of Tango, launched with a live concert at the Minardschouwburg (Ghent) and broadcast all over Latin America by the Film & Arts Channel. This concert was followed by a European tour of more than 35 concerts between October 2021 and April 2023. In September 2022, SONICO was part of A BIGGER THING, the creation of choreographer Lisi Estarás (Les Ballets C de la B) that opened the 22/23 season of the Opera van Vlaanderen (Ghent). This production was followed by SONICO's return to Argentina and their first travel to Brazil.

Instead of trying to create a controversy between Piazzolla and Rovira, SONICO wants to share this wonderful period called “tango vanguardia” with the public. Although they employed different approaches to renewing tango music, both composers worked tirelessly to free the music from traditionalism. Their actions had lasting effects on the history of the genre and even today we can consider their creations some of the most interesting music ever produced in Argentina.

The musicians adding their unique musical perspective to this highly difficult repertoire include: Lysandre Donoso (FR/CL) bandoneon; Carmela Delgado (FR/SP) bandoneón; Stephen Meyer (USA/BE) violin; Daniel Hurtado Jimenéz (SP) violin; Kaat Verheyen (BE) violin; Bartosz Korus (POL) viola; Guillaume Lagravière (FR) cello; Alejandro Schwarz (AR/FR) electric guitar; Ariel Eberstein (AR/BE) double bass; Ivo De Greef (BE) piano