By Richard Chiang
Resident Media Director

CHICAGO- On October 10th 2012, I was at the Old Town School of Folk Music for a CD-release concert. A few minutes into the second half of the concert while the performers iAN&ANi Duo (Ian Maksin & Ani Gogova) were getting warmed up, I was in the middle of some carry-over causerie from the intermission with Amorn Buchheit, Miss Chicago 2012 Marisa Buchheit’s mom. All of a sudden, a prelude of a very familiar piece emerged from Ani’s piano play and fomented the Argentine tango blood in me! It was “Oblivion”, composed by Astor Piazzolla, whose oeuvre revolutionized the traditional tango music and begot a new style called nuevo tango.

Sitting down and listening at a concert wasn’t something I craved for very much; while my ears longed for the dulcet tune, my legs often got allured by it and became restless, begging me to stand up and dance, which in most cases, wouldn’t seem appropriate, not even if I were as prodigious as Pablo Verón, my favorite Argentine tango dancer. Curiously, I was kept on my seat where I exactly belonged throughout this whole piece, without even trying.

When the cello and piano duet started, my eyes were immediately drawn to the vivacious expression on Ian’s face; the solemnity of a dedicated musician and performer showcased his pride, his undivided focus amalgamated the cello with himself, his ebullient aura led the melody for a seemingly ocular dance! Ani turned to look at Ian periodically while playing the piano. She couldn’t see his face since his back was facing her, yet I sensed the intangible communication floating through the air. Her mien appeared to be rather buoyant, in contrast with Ian’s trenchant demeanor, adding a harmonic counterpoise to the duet.

Being a critic wasn’t anywhere near my profession; I tend to appreciate a performance intuitively. When I reached out my hand to grab the camera in my bag right before Ian’s cello came in, it almost felt unconscious; maybe it was Ani’s prelude, maybe it was the prior familiarity with the piece myself, or both. The fact that I filmed it made me an euphoric audience afterward!

On two different occasions had I seen and filmed them performing “Oblivion”: one was as mentioned above, the other was at another event called the “Fashion of the Opera”. I edited the footage from the two into a sneak peek of a continuous whole to feature the angles that better displayed what I mentioned.

Enjoy!

By Jorge G. Zavala
Creative Director
Richard Chiang
Resident Media Director

An intimate concert took place at the Old Town School of Folk Music on October 10th, 2012 as Ani Gogova and Ian Maksin soothed their audience with both romantic and passionate rhythms from their latest album, "Tango Plus".

Upon arriving to the Old Town School of Folk Music, a wonderful group of eager attendees waited to get a glimpse of Ani, Ian, and Marisa Buchheit, our current Miss Chicago 2012 and one of the most talented and beautiful sopranos Le Prestige du Monde has seen.

A variety of individuals waiting to be seated were heard speaking a fantastic mix of languages - Spanish, Bulgarian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, French. While Raul Fernandez, Field Trip Coordinator for the School, was a bit hostile towards guests and slightly uninviting, Tim Harkins - Production Manager - reassured guests that there would be space available to view the much-anticipated concert.

A fun mix of tango, flamenco, and sounds from both Latin American and Spanish influences were arranged for cello and piano, along with works commissioned from Chicago composer Ilya Levinson.

The concert included pieces by Abigail Simon, Lucas Segovia and Kara Zimmerman from the Joffrey Ballet abd Jorge Niedas and Liz Sung from Tango 21 dance company.

Ani taking a moment to discuss the passion behind their musical composition of the evening.

Le Prestige du Monde with the wonderful Miss Chicago 2012, Marisa Buchheit.

The mesmerizing sounds of the cello in sync with the passionate delight of the piano graced audiences of varying ages and backgrounds.

The galvanizing performances inspired the audience to seek an encore on two separate occasions. "Tonight's folks are talented," a guest commented. "I'm really glad I came out for the performance."

By Jorge G. Zavala
Creative Director

The West Loop Chicago is considered a trendy and developing area, full of spacious lofts, cozy cafes and popular nightspots. It is bordered on the North by Fulton Street, on the South by Congress Parkway, on the East by Halsted Street and on the West by Racine Avenue.

This area began to take shape just two decades ago, when a slow but steady transformation occurred. Several warehouses were converted to loft buildings and restaurants began to open up around the area. The neighborhood’s proximity to the Loop began to be seen as a valuable characteristic and its demographic began to shift.

With this in mind, one expects to find nothing less of interesting happenings in this part of the city. Take a wild guess as to where a chef with culinary influences from his years in New Orleans, local designers and models, and craft-beer connoisseurs gathered to celebrate food, fashion, and life.

Hint: It's in the West Loop.

The answer, along with more snaps showcasing the much-anticipated rendezvous, coming very soon.

In the meantime, happy guessing!