Ivo De Greef
Born in Belgium in 1976, Ivo started playing the piano at the age of six. He developed a wide interest in contemporary music whilst playing Maderna and Webern pieces at the Ars Musica Festival in 1994. During his studies at the Brussels Conservatory with Jan MICHIELS (a pupil of Hans Leygraf), Ivo was also touring Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany with La Squadra, performing Peter Maxwell Davies’ opera “Cinderella”.
After graduating in Brussels, he moved to Birmingham (UK) to further his studies at the Birmingham Conservatoire with Philip MARTIN. There he had the opportunity to play the world premiere of Joe CUTLER’s First Piano Concerto. Upon meeting the composer, they developed a mutual friendship that resulted in his participation in the new music ensemble Noszferatu, which has featured regularly on BBC Radio 3. Ivo also appeared in the musical line-up to the 2002 award-winning West-End play “Humble Boy” by Catherine Jones.
Living in Paris since 2003, Ivo has been pursuing his other passion: tango music. Receiving coachings from the tango-masters and Piazzolla’s musicians Juan José MOSALINI and Gustavo BEYTELMANN, Ivo has appeared with different tango ensembles, including Revirado, the Mala Pinta quartet, the Tangele trio and La Academia septet. He has been performing at milongas, concerts and festivals throughout Europe, the United States, Australia and Japan.
With the El Después quintet (which he joined in 2004), Ivo featured at the 2006 Buenos Aires International Tango Festival (Argentina) and recently took part in the Piazzolla operita “Maria de Buenos Aires”, a sold-out 2007 production at the Lisbon opera (Portugal), starring fado star Misia, tenor Keith Lewis and actor Manuel Callau.
Currently finishing a new Noszferatu album, Ivo is also touring his own Tribute to Keith Jarrett solo project, which premiered in Lisbon in December 2008. Since 2009 he is also artistic director of the London Tango Orchestra.
“a refreshingly unassuming virtuoso” (Vortex Jazz Review 2009)
Selective Discography:
“DERECHO VIEJO” / MALA PINTA [2004]
“Gran Septeto LA ACADEMIA” / LA ACADEMIA [Sam, 2006]
“REUNIÓN” / EL DESPUÉS [Tipica, 2006]
“TRAVESÍA” / MALA PINTA [Dragonfish, 2007]
“DREMPEL” / NOSZFERATU [NMC, 2010]