His love for music from around the world has led Roberto Cassan to explore and master different repertoires from Argentine Tango and French Musette to Balkan, South American and Brazilian music, focusing his attention on musician-composers such as Astor Piazzolla, Dino Saluzzi, Hermeto Pascoal, and Richard Galliano.
He collaborates extensively and records with many artists, including Mexican folk singer Lila Downs, singer songwriter Martin Sexton, Jessica Lurie, harpist Maeve Gilchrist, Alain Mallet, Claudio Ragazzi, Peggy Pearson, Club D’Elf , Anna Myer dance company, Bruno Oro, among others.
He Recorded the Soundtrack for the PBS/TV Series Letters from Buster, for the episode The Accordion Festival of San Antonio, Three Tangos for the TV Series LOVE BOAT (Brad Hatfield BMI), Three waltzes for accordion for the pilot TV Series American Plumber (Discovery Channel), composed and performed The whispering wind for the movie Profit motive and the whispering wind, by independent film maker John Gianvito.
Mr Cassan’s collaborative projects include:
- The Duo Roberto Cassan and John Muratore (classical guitar), performing music of Astor Piazzolla, Richard Galliano, Leo Brouwer , Debussy, Pat Pace, and original compositions. The duo was invited to play at Jordan Hall (Boston) for the Barak Obama fundraising event. In July 2009 the duo was also invited to the Main Squeeze Accordion Festival in NYC.
- Newpoli, a 9 piece ensemble exploring the ancient Southern Italian folk tradition of the Tarantella and Pizzica, as well as the 16th century styles of Villanella and Moresca.
- Grand Fatilla, a superb world music quartet playing Modern Global Music like an iPod on shuffle. see also myspace listing.
- Musaner, led by pianist composer Ara Sarkissian, is a uniquely evocative musical project which includes original compositions as well as arrangements of Armenian folk music.
- Valdisa Moura, led by the Brazilian singer songwriter Valdisa, this original and unique quartet performs a mix of traditional and contemporary styles, exploring the poetry, infectious rhythms, lyrical melodies, and rich harmonies of Brazil.
Ute Gfrerer, a multitalented singer originally from Austria. In the past few years Ute established herself as one of the leading interpreters of the music of Kurt Weill. “I was lucky enough to play in her new cabaret show ” Lives in The Limelight” says Roberto Cassan, performed at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA.
Accordionist Roberto Cassan was born in Fanna, Italy. He began his music studies at age eight and by sixteen was performing professionally at various venues and folk festivals throughout Europe in particular in his native Italy. During his years at University of Cremona, Italy, where he was working towards his degree in Musicology, he also performed and composed music for the experimental theater group Teatro Sintetico and collaborate widely with musicians of diverse backgrounds such as jazz, rock, ethnic and classical.
In 1991 Mr Cassan moved to the United States to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA where he currently lives and works as a professional performing and recording artist.