Social dancers themselves, Juan & Patricio have a special gift for taking their two guitars and voice and creating music that is «100% MILONGUERÍSIMO BAILABLE» (100% super milonga-appropriate danceable music). They are currently crafting highly danceable sets.
Seated Concerts
Juan & Patricio also perform intimate seated concerts that can have a range of themes, including Argentine folkloric music, Argentine tango, Tango Music of Today, and more. Juan & Patricio speak English and can contextualize each piece and connect with the audience seamlessly. They are comfortable playing in venues of all types and sizes, from gardens and living rooms, to theaters and concert halls. They love house concerts especially!
Villarreal Crom Peña:
A «peña» is the equivalent of a milonga for Argentine folkloric music and dance. The Villarreal Crom Peña takes the audience on a tour through the diverse and exquisite folkloric musics of Argentina. Ideally, this is combined with wine and empanadas. (Give the duo a kitchen and they can make the empanadas, or teach the guests to make empanadas!) This event may be combined with a basic chacarera lesson (given by the duo) or the organizer may hire a folkloric dancer to teach zamba, chacarera, gato, and other folk dances. The event also works perfectly as a seated concert, without a dance component. It’s also a great prequel to a milonga.
Puppetry
Patricio is a master puppeteer. He can weave puppetry into concerts and workshops, or provide a stand-alone show for a tango audience or for a non-tango audience, for adults or for kids.
WORKSHOP OFFERINGS
What the hell is musicality?
This workshop is designed for dancers of all levels who are looking to deepen their understanding of musicality and how to better integrate it into their dance. Through a series of practical exercises, musical analysis and improvisation techniques, participants will learn to listen and feel music in a deeper way, allowing them to more authentically and technically express their art.
The Guitar in Tango
History, Evolution and Role in the Music of the Río de la Plata Objective of the talk: To explore the history and evolution of the guitar in tango, from its earliest manifestations in the Río de la Plata to its fundamental role in contemporary tango music. We will analyze how the guitar has been both an accompanying and solo instrument in tango music, and how its style, techniques and sonority have influenced the way we understand tango today.
V-Real Sessions
Juan’s DJ alter ego, V-Real, has one of the world’s most extensive collections of danceable new tango music. A V-Real Session can be a workshop, a chat for DJs, or a practica or a milonga, in which a wide range of new tango compositions, arrangements and recordings can be presented, along with an introduction to these new artists who are carrying the art form we love into the future.
Masterclasses for Musicians
Masterclasses may focus on guitar or voice. They may also include coaching for tango music ensembles, or coaching in the tango idiom for those who perform tango on any instrument.
Individual Instrument Lessons
Juan & Pato often give one-on-one lessons in guitar or voice. They can also provide instruction and coaching on tango arranging and composition.
Movies Screening
EL SONIDO DE ANTES - THE HIDDEN SOUND OF TANGO
This film follows Patricio’s journey to understand and explain his passion for the guitar. Through meetings with different figures in Buenos Aires’ tango music scene, Crom explores the guitar’s imprint upon tango music, as well as its history and the myriad emotions it evokes. At the same time, two antique guitars—one the same as those that appeared in Carlos Gardel films, and the other an eleven-string Manjonmodel from the turn of the 20th century—are each restored by one of the best luthiers(a specialist in stringed instruments) in the world. Patricio meets and plays music with a handful of renowned contemporary tango guitarists, using these two restored instruments, and a singular album that pays homage to tango history is produced.Through Patricio’s quest to find the sounds of a time gone by in these restored instruments, the film exposes how the guitar and its music are channels for encounter—they elicit emotions, generate bonds, and create stories
Directed by: YAEL SZMULEWICZ Produced by: JUAN VILLARREAL / YAEL SZMULEWICZ
Synopsis: At 80 years old, after a life as a teacher, NIDIA begins to study singing under the guidance of Juan Villarreal (32 years old) whom she conquers with her charisma, she begins to travel through different bars in Buenos Aires. She lives and sings with an intensity that moves everyone who knows her. She allows herself to put her personal stamp on everything, from her image to her relationship with the people around her. From that place, she begins to bond deeply with her partner on the road, who is the one who helps her to bring out from inside herself this character that she had hidden and shines.