Hèctor Ulises Passarella

was born at Florida, Uruguay in 1955 where he began studying the bandoneòn at the age of eight under the guidance of Oscar Raúl Pacheco. When he was only eleven years’ old, he was invited to join his maestro’s characteristic orchestra where he remained for seven years. At the same time he was fully occupied as soloist also in radio broadcasts, and in 1971 formed the "Trio Tango de Avanzada" together with Ricardo Leon (piano) and Cono Castro (bass).

In 1973 he began to specialize with René Marino Rivero, dedicating himself to the baroque period (Bach, Telemann, Handel) and to original works for bandonèon. In 1975, winner of a scholarship awarded by AEMUS (Asociaciòn de Estudiantes de Mùsica), he was chosen to give a concert in the renowned Auditorium of the "Vaz Ferreira" Hall of Montevideo at the close of which the critics hailed him as the "revelation of the year". "The young Passarella has already a technical control with a facility that is astonishing...... As well as a sound of rich dynamic and chromatic variety, as well as handling the bellows with precision......he possesses a rare musical intuition for rhythm, for character and for style...... (W. Roldàn - El Pais - Montevideo, 26 October 1975).

The following year saw the beginning of an extensive collaboration with SODRE (the Uruguayan radio and television broadcasting network) and the Ministry of Education and Culture which enabled him, through numerous recitals throughout the country, to continue his crusade for popularizing the bandonèon as an instrument with ample possibilities also in the field of "serious" music. After 1976 he also played, as soloist, with the symphonic and chamber orchestras of Montevideo. In 1977 he won another scholarship for continuing his specialization studies and also became the pupil of Guido Santorsola for composition and conducting. In 1978 he was invited by the "Laurak Bat" Association to give a concert at Buenos Aires, a city to which he frequently returned and always with notable success.

In 1979 he won the "O. Respighi" Competition organized by the Italian Cultural Institute and by AEMUS and was awarded a scholarship for studying contemporary composition in Italy. After another recital at Montevideo in 1980, the music critic N. Giguens wrote: "Passarella’s concert was absolutely fascinating. The prestige of a great instrument given to the bandonèon, unbelievably enriched in technique and aesthetics; impeccable fingering, perfect structural precision, authoritative musical tempo, powerful intensity of sound and subtlety of tone gradations make Passarella an exceptional maestro."

After settling in Italy he gave recitals at some of the leading theatres and associations, including Petruzelli, Bari; Accademia Filarmonica, Messina; Associazione Tartini, Rome; Associazione Cocito, Novara; Gioventà Musicale d’Italia; Ars Musica, Rome; he also appeared as soloist with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo and the Orchestra Sinfonica "A. Toscanini" of Parma under the direction of Donato Renzetti with a programme of music by Bach and Handel and with the first performance in Italy of Guido Santorsola’s Concerto per bandonèon, piano, string orchestra and percussion. As composer, Passarella has written numerous pieces inspired by the traditional Rio de La Plata music both for solo bandonèon and for bandonèon and chamber orchestra, as well as for other formations. He has also written didactic works, such as his analysis of Beethoven’s piano sonatas and a treatise on the bandonèon. From 1991 to 1994 he conducted the Orchestra Sinfonica "delle Romagne", Città di Forlimpopoli, giving many concerts in the various theatres of Emilia Romagna. He has created various chamber groups with repertoires based prevalently on his own compositions together with those of Lamarque Pons and Piazzolla.

In 1995 he was artistic director of the ninth edition of the Festival of Popular Music of Forlimpopoli, entitled Tango - Sentimento dell’assenza, and also gave various recitals including one for Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland. Passarella was the principal soloist in the soundtrack of the film Il Postino, composed by Luis Bacalov, which won the 1996 Oscar; he was also soloist in the recording of the film’s music and received excellent notices on both occasions. He has recorded other film soundtracks, always as soloist and with music composed by Bacalov: Frontera Sur, Milonga, La Deuda and a film to be released shortly, Steven Spielberg’s Love Letter. He has appeared together with Maestro Bacalov in numerous recitals for important concert seasons, including: Palau de la Musica de Valencia; Accademia Nazionale Santa Cecilia, Rome; Teatro Orfeo, Taranto; Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa; Teatro Regio, Parma; Estate Musicale del Garda, etc. He also has a highly active career as soloist with symphonic and chamber orchestras: Filarmonica Veneta, Filarmonica Marchigiana, Sinfonica della Repubblica di San Marino, Sinfonica di Bari, Sinfonica di Bogotá (Colombia), Orchestra da camera Pugliese, Spontini di Matelica, etc.

Passarella took part in the III Cumbre Mundial del tango held in 1996 in Uruguay, during which both public and critics gave him an enthusiastic reception both as performer and as composer. "... A historic concert...as finale we heard various "Piezas Rioplatenses" by Passarella himself. These presented a sophisticated synthesis of his admiration for Piazzolla, his association with Lamarque Pons, his affection for the Baroque and his profound knowledge of serious twentieth-century music. The public applauded with enthusiasm this manifestation of creativity and identity...". (Elbio Rodriguez Barilari - El Pais - Montevideo, 9 November 1996).

Recently Passarella played in the European premiere of Bacalov’s Misa Tango with the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. He has also recorded, as soloist, a CD for Deutsche Grammophon (to be released shortly) of music by Luis Bacalov and Astor Piazzolla with the Orchestra di Santa Cecilia, conducted by Myung-Whun Chung and with Plácido Domingo and Luis Bacalov.
 
 

Some comments:
 
 

"Extraordinary Ulises Passarella"- La Stampa, 29 April 1998

"Passarella, magnificent bandonèon!" - Musica (enclosure with La Repubblica), 24 April 1996

"Passarella demonstrated that he is a polished musician, both as performer and as composer" - Libertà, 26 November 1997

"The exceptional and impassioned Ulises Passarella.....applauded protagonist" - Tarantosera, 12 November 1996

"The extraordinary Hèctor Ulises Passarella" - La Repubblica, 4 April 1999