| Living in Argentina, Vicente Nonino Piazzolla and Asuta | | | | from their excellence when composing his own music. |
| Manetti (both of Italian descent) welcomed their son | | | | That was until he met Nadia Boulanger. She quickly |
| Astor Piazzolla into this world in the year of 1921. While | | | | noticed his own magic and encouraged him to focus |
| he was born in Argentina, Astor spent most of his | | | | on his own style and talent leaving the others to theirs. |
| early years of life in New York City. This is where his | | | | In 1955, he organized the Octeto Buenos Aires and |
| love of music began to bloom. Enjoying Jazz and the | | | | began playing his own style of tango. |
| music of J.S. Bach, his love and knowledge of this art | | | | Astor Piazzolla is well known in the music world for his |
| became his passion. His father found a bandoneon in a | | | | contributions to the tango. He took elements from jazz |
| New York pawnshop and purchased it for his young | | | | and classical music, added them to tango and created |
| son. This seemed to be one of the most significant | | | | Nuevo tango. As an accomplished composer and |
| steps in molding the musician that Astor Piazzolla | | | | bandoneon player, he commonly performed his |
| became. In addition to his music, he also excelled in | | | | compositions adding electronic and acoustic sounds |
| multiple languages including French, English, Italian and | | | | creating his unique form of music. While this new form |
| Spanish. | | | | of the tango was widely accepted in the United States |
| Returning to Argentina in 1937, he found tango to be | | | | and Europe, Argentina in general showed resistance to |
| the reigning style of music. Continuing his love of | | | | this change. Among some of his most notable pieces |
| playing the bandoneon, he and his various ensembles | | | | are Adios Nonino (written in 1959 in memory of his |
| performed in a multitude of nightclubs throughout | | | | father), Libertango (written in 1974 symbolizing his |
| Argentina. Quickly becoming known as the best | | | | liberation from the traditional tango), Oblivion as well as |
| bandoneon player in Buenos Aires, Astor Piazzolla | | | | Milonga Del Angel. In 1990 he suffered a thrombotic |
| expanded his musical knowledge by studying under | | | | event that eventually led to his death in Buenos Aires |
| Alberto Ginastera. Covering a number of composers | | | | in 1992. |
| like Stravinsky, Bartok and Ravel, he began to take | | | | |
