Michael Zisman – introduction to the bandoneon

Michael Zisman au bandonéonTuesday March 7th
from noon to 1:15 pm
Salle Polyvalente EPFL

The bandoneon is a wind musical instrument with a keyboard, considered as a free reed instrument. Coming from Germany, it is first destined to play folkloric songs in central Europe. It is only at the end of the 19th century that the bandoneon reaches Argentina. The instrument then becomes the emblem of tango.

Michael Zisman is one of the most talented bandoneonist today. He inherited the spirit of Argentinian tango but can also adapt and explore the language of jazz music like no-one else to this day. At 30 he already has a surprising carrier behind him, comprising of projects and recordings with great artists such as : Paquito D’Rivera, Billy Cobham, Al di Meola, Bert Joris, Dado Moroni, Franco Ambrosetti, Antonio Farao, Mark Soskin, Adrian Iaies, Gustavo Bergalli, Heiri Känzig, Matthieu Michel, Daniel Piazzolla, Pablo Aslan, Giora Feidman and many more, but also with his own musical ensembles.

Michael Zisman was born in Switzerland in 1982 and is both a Swiss and Argentinian citizen. He grew up surrounded by the music of his father, Daniel Zisman, who was a solist, violinist and composer. At 8, he starts to play the bandoneon and receives his first lesson with Daniel Binelli, former member of the group that was formed around the great composer Astor Piazzolla. He makes his first public appearance at 11 in Geneva as a surprise guest with tango legends Leopoldo Federico and Atilio Stampone. When he was 13, he starts out on stage as part of his father’s tango ensemble during the event « Tous les violons du monde » (All the violins of the world), presented by Yehudi Menuhin.

Having essentially learned the instrument as a self-taught beside his colleague Peter Gneist in Bern, he leaves at 13 to pursue his musical studies in Buenos Aires. When he returns from
Argentina, he finishes his studies with a diploma in composition and musical arrangement at the Swiss School of Jazz. As well as a standard tango and jazz repertoire, Michael specializes himself in Astor Piazzolla’s music, his great model.

Next to his father Daniel Zisman, Michael realizes a great number of recordings and, as a solist, he makes a round-the-world trip with various symphonic and chamber-music formations such as : Israel Philarmonic Orchestra, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Swiss Jazz Orchestra and appears in numerous places and international festivals. In 2007, Michael Zismann wins the first prize within the bandoneon-solo category of the International Accordeon Contest of Klingenthal, in Germany.

→ Michael Zismam website