Biography
He was born in Buenos Aires, in the neighborhood of San Cristóbal, on July 1, 1926. He was a pianist, arranger, conductor and composer. His love for music began at a very early age. His first encounter with tango was when he joined the group of his older brother, Pepe Stampone. At the age of 15, in 1941, he made his professional debut in the Roberto Dimas Orchestra. The following year he joined Pedro Maffia's group. In 1946, when Astor Piazzolla left Aníbal Troilo and formed his own group, he joined him as a pianist and remained there until the group was dissolved. He then began his studies with maestro Vicente Scaramuzza. In 1949 he is already a soloist of the Mariano Mores Orchestra. He also joined Juan Carlos Cobián's ensemble.
In 1950 he obtained a scholarship to study in Italy, at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, with maestro Carlos Zecchi. Once there, and together with a group of Argentine musicians, he toured Italy, France, Greece, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey for two years. He returned to Buenos Aires in 1953 and formed the orchestral group "Atilio Stampone - Leopoldo Federico". At that time, Astor Piazzolla calls him again to integrate the legendary "Octeto Buenos Aires".
He continues with his studies of harmony, composition, fugue, counterpoint, orchestral conducting and dodecaphonism (studies that he is still constantly updating) with maestros Julián Bautista and Teodoro Fuchs. He forms his first orchestra, with which he records, in 1958, his first Long Play, which, curiously, he does not record for the Argentine public but for the firm "Audio Fidelity" of New York.
In 1960 he gave a series of recitals at the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Medicine in Buenos Aires, from which his career became an endless succession of achievements and successes. A great student of jazz, he admires Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans. Among the classics, he prefers Ravel, Beethoven, Chopin.
In 1964 he inaugurated the Caño 14 nightclub, which would later become a mythical place in the history of tango.
At the beginning of 1970 his album "Concepto" was released, a turning point in his career. In 1974 he toured Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Poland and Czechoslovakia for six months. He toured Brazil and Colombia with equal success.
As a composer, he also ventured into the film industry, composing the musical score for "Un Guapo del 900" and "La Mano en la Trampa", by Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, winning the "Asociación de Cronistas Cinematográficos de la Argentina" award for the latter. He records his fifth LP, "Vivencias", for Microfon Argentina. From July 16 to 20, 1981, he premieres "Tango" with choreography by Oscar Araiz and the members of "Le Ballet Du Grand Theatre de Genéve", with music of traditional Argentinean tangos and original songs by Atilio Stampone.
In 1984, in inaugural function of the Mozarteum Argentino's cycle, it performed at the Teatro Colón. During the same year (only the musical group) it made a national tour that also included several months of the following year.
In 1985, he took office as President of the Argentine Society of Authors and Composers of Music (S.A.D.A.A.I.C.).
Among other creations, he is the author of the music for the film "The Official Story", winner of the Oscar of the Academy of Motion Pictures of Hollywood, United States, for the best foreign film. Within the major context of the Fiestas de "San Isidro 87", on May 14, the show "Tango en Concierto" was premiered at the Teatro Real in Madrid, Spain. Due to the great success in Madrid, it was also premiered in Argentina, precisely in Mar del Plata, with the Symphonic Orchestra of that city.
In 1989, he composed the music for the play "Discepolín", about the life of a tango great: Enrique Santos Discépolo. That same year, he scored the film "Tango Bar" (co-production of Puerto Rico and Argentina).
In 1995 he performed at the New York City in New York, a tango show with Julio Bocca and his Ballet Argentino.
In 1996, also with Julio Bocca, he embarked on a highly successful tour of Italy, Spain, Israel and Egypt.
In 1997, at the Luna Park Stadium, Julio Bocca premiered his work "Concertango", choreographed by Ana Stekelman.
In July 2000, he was appointed Director of the Orquesta Nacional de Música Argentina "Juan de Dios Filiberto" by the Secretaría de Cultura de la Nación.
Among his works we can highlight "Afiches", "Con pan y cebolla", "De Homero a Homero", "Desencanto" (all with lyrics by Homero Expósito), "Aguatero", "Cadícamo" (lyrics by Atilio Bugatti), "Ciudadano", "Concertango", "El Nino", "El Tapir", "Fiesta de mi ciudad" (milonga with lyrics by Andrés Lizarraga), "Fiesta y milonga" (milonga with lyrics by Eladia Blázquez), "Impar", "Mi amigo Cholo" (lyrics by Albino Gómez), "Mocosa" (lyrics by Andrés Lizarraga), "Para violín y piano", "Romance de tango" and "Un guapo del novecientos".
Obtained:
Konex Award 1995: Tango Ensemble
President of the Grand Jury of the Konex Awards 2005: Popular Music
President of the Grand Jury of the Konex Awards 1985: Popular Music
SOURCE: Fundación Konex