Elbio Fernandez, known as “El pequeño gigante del tango” (the little giant of tango), was born in Uruguay. It was in Uruguay where he learned to love music and tango. In 1989 he moved to Canada, and in the decades since, he has been performing concerts across North and South America. He is a member of the Payadora Tango Ensemble. He is currently performing soley with this ensemble.

He has recorded two albums, his own "Elbio Fernandez Tangos" and another one with the Toronto Tango Orchestra. Since 2017, Elbio has been collaborating with superstar group Payadora Tango Ensemble, joining them in different performances and lending his vocals for their latest album “Volando”. Elbio was awarded a recording grant from Ontario Arts Council to record a record in 2024 with Payadora. The record will include originals compositions and arrangements.

Elbio played an integral part in the new storytelling website, The Legend of Carau, telling an Argentine folk story through music, dance, illustrations and written word. This large scale project was funded by The Canada Council for the Arts.

About Elbio’s ensemble, Payadora:

“A World Class Contemporary Chamber Ensemble” - Ottawa Citizen

“Playful, Spontaneous and Sexy!” -Classical 96.3 FM

Joyful, Entertaining, Moving, Top Notch International Tango, Folk, Classical, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Originals, Improvisation

Payadora is an award-winning chamber music ensemble that performs its own arrangements of a core repertoire drawing from Argentinian/Uruguayan Tango and Folk music, as well as their own original compositions. Made up of a group of players who are each musical powerhouses in their own right, this “superstar group” has combined their their deep knowledge of tango with their classical, jazz and world music backgrounds to create something entirely new. Their performances convey joy, virtuosity, humour and their intense passion for the music that they play.

Performance Highlights:

Highlights from past performances include sold-out shows at the National Arts Centre, Ottawa Chamberfest, Indian River Music Festival in PEI, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Harbourfront Centre, Stafford Summer Music, Toronto Music Festival, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, and for the Canadian Opera Company's World Music Series at the Four Seasons Centre. Elbio is touring British Columbia in March 2023.