SOME IMPRESSIONS
Cobario is a one-of-a-kind world music trio from Vienna, Austria. We are delighted to welcome the trio in Washington, DC to fill the halls of the Austrian Embassy with an eclectic mix of dreamy and melancholy tunes, energetic and compelling sound installations as well as virtuosic solos.
The award-winning trio has already toured half the globe enchanting their audience with two guitars and a violin wherever they perform. Constantly drawing inspiration from every place they go, the former buskers from the streets in Barcelona like to take their audience on musical journeys around the world. The musical adventure may start off in a dusty South American desert, only to move on to the lush green hills of Ireland, always flavoured with a hint of traditional Viennese coffee house atmosphere as the young musicians guide through the evening with their typical Viennese charm.
When: Thursday, June 28, 2018 | 7.00 pm
Where: Austrian Cultural Forum Washington/Embassy of Austria | 3524 International Court, NW | Washington, DC, 20008
About Cobario
Beginning in 2006 as buskers in Barcelona, "Rio Che" and "El Coba" first developed the instrumental acoustic project Cobario around their two powerful guitar styles. Several months later, the extraordinary violinist "Herwigos" joined their ranks to complete the trio, which casts its incomparable spell with passion and finesse over a pleasure-loving audience.
In January 2014 the guitarist Rio Che left the instrumental trio. After some time of reflection El Coba and Herwigos decided to pursue the project Cobario and found a brilliant substitute in Georg Aichberger alias "Giorgio Rovere".
Their unique style is probably best described as “gypsy classique”. Flamenco, Gypsy, Celtic, Slavic, Asian and comtemporary influences all contribute to the unique yet familiar sound, and invite the listener to close their eyes and escape from reality.
Herwig Schaffner | Herwigos
(c) Cobario
Herwig Schaffner aka “Herwigos” began playing the violin and the piano at the age of eight, and was invited to attend the prestigious University Mozarteum Salzburg at only sixteen years of age. He performed in several orchestras including the European Youth Orchestra, and played under the direction of Yehudi Menuhin and Sandor Vegh. In his youth he was already touring Europe and Asia, playing in cities like Istanbul, Berlin, Beijing and Shanghai.
Three years ago he started composing pieces for string quartet and symphonic orchestra, having wonderful success with the performances.
"Herwigos" is the most recent member of Cobario, and remembers: “I often have been asked to take part in a project, but the day I met these two guys in the street I knew something was different. It was their charisma and character, as well as the power of the music they were playing, which evoked the desire in me for making and creating music together.”
Georg Aichberger | Giorgio Rovere
(c) Cobario
Georg Aichberger aka
„Giorgio Rovere“ began playing the guitar as a teenager.
From the first day on he was obsessed with this instrument and its variety of sounds. After some years of self taught playing, "Georgio" attended the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna to study with Arnoldo Moreno, who showed him the world of Latin Music and numerous other possibilities of styles on the nylon guitar.
"Georgio" studied in Vienna and Sydney, and played different styles of music in several bands. His musical journeys took him to lots of places, such as Spain, France, Germany, Croatia, Australia, and many others.
In 2014, he met the other guys of Cobario, who were then searching for a new guitar player. "Georgio" decided to take the chance and jumped on the „Cobario-Train“, in excitement about their musical journey together.
Jakob Lackner | El Coba
(c) Cobario
Jakob Lackner aka “El Coba” became obsessed in his early teenage years by the sound of guitars. After three years of learning on his own, he began studying with Bernhard Schnabel (classical guitar), Erich Zinner (electric guitar) and of course Austria’s famous Peter Ratzenbeck. Until the age of 20, he played in several musical projects covering many different styles, until he met "Rio Che", with whom he founded Cobario.
A joyously happy accident occurred after many months of playing on the streets of Barcelona, when they met "Herwigos" while playing on the Streets of Vienna in Summer of 2007.
He is the youngest and most extroverted member of the band, which is reflected in his compositions. From Cobario’s first show until today, "El Coba" has shaken a lot of people awake with his impressive style of playing guitar in an energetic and percussive way. Sometimes it seems as if he would fall out of his chair while performing the dynamic and effusive compositions of Cobario!