Bandoneonist and Composer
Richard Scofano is an Argentinian-American master bandoneonist, acclaimed composer, arranger, and musical director. Born in Paso de los Libres, Corrientes, Argentina, and the descendant of three generations of bandoneonists, he has resided in the United States for over 25 years. Growing up immersed in the folk traditions and culture of Northeast Argentina, Richard developed an artistry that bridges tradition with a unique creative voice, blending Argentine folk, Brazilian music, and concert music. With more than forty years of professional experience, Scofano has performed across South America, North America, Europe, Japan, China, and Australia, earning recognition from colleagues and audiences alike. In 2014–15, he toured China as music director of the show Identidad, which featured several of his compositions. In 2015, he composed the music for Carmen de Buenos Aires, a tango/flamenco adaptation of Bizet’s opera Carmen premiered in Boston. That same year, he formed a duo with pianist Alfredo Minetti, touring extensively in the US, Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Brazil. In October 2016, Scofano premiered his Iberá (Concerto for Bandoneón and Orchestra) with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago under Mina Zikri, later performing it in Argentina (including Buenos Aires’ prestigious CCK Sala Ballena Azul) and Brazil. That year also saw the release of Estaciones, his first album of entirely original compositions. Subsequent highlights include a 2017 concert dedicated to his music at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, and collaborations with guitarist Yamandú Costa at Guitar Salon International (2018), New York’s Sony Hall (2019), the Montreal Jazz Festival (2019), the Vail Jazz Festival (2019), and again during Yamandú’s 2022 US tour. In 2020, Scofano was commissioned by the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO) to compose La Tierra Sin Mal(Symphonic Poem for Bandoneón and Orchestra), inspired by a Guaraní legend, which he premiered in Houston that September. Since then, he has performed Iberá and La Tierra Sin Mal with the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira (2022), the New Mexico Philharmonic (2022), and the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra (2023). He continued touring with Alfredo Minetti, including concerts in São Paulo (SESC Instrumental) and Rio de Janeiro (Sala Cecília Meireles) in 2023, and collaborated with legendary guitarist Sergio Assad in Tucson, AZ, and at the University of Arizona. In January 2024, Scofano performed with Yamandú Costa at the 33rd Fiesta Nacional del Chamamé in Corrientes, Argentina, and later that month performed La Tierra Sin Mal with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra under Michael Butterman. In March 2024, he appeared with Sergio Assad in Alicante, Spain, before traveling to Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal, to record new compositions. His latest album, Shin-Urayasu, was nominated for the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards, further solidifying his place as one of the leading voices in contemporary bandoneón music.
