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Francisco Canaro
Biography
The tango was brought to a higher level of sophistication by violinist and composer Francisco Canaro. The leader of one of the first tango groups to perform in aristocratic theaters, he continued to refine the genre, arranging many classic tango pieces for orchestra. Canaro's success was a far cry from his youth. Born in the small town of San Jose de Mayo, Uruguay, his family was so impoverished that he was unable to attend school. Although he moved with his family to Buenos Aires as child, he continued to live in severe poverty. By the age of ten, he was already working, selling newspapers on the streets of Buenos Aires. He later worked as a house painter. The first steps toward a better future came when Canaro was taught a few guitar chords by a neighbor. Inspired by the experience, he built a fiddle, using an oilcan and a wooden fingerboard. Teaching himself to play, he soon mastered the instrument. Performing with a trio, he made his debut in Ranchos, a town on the outskirts of the Argentinian capital city. Soon afterward, he found his first musical collaborator in bandeonist Vicente Greco. Devoting himself to the tango, Canaro joined Greco in a tour during 1908.

Canaro reached the next level of his career, in 1912, composing his first tune, "Pinta Brava," and conducting an orchestra for the first time.