About
Gert Wantenaar is best known as an accordionist. He already played this instrument when he was eight years old. Four years later, Gert founded his own quartet and played at jazz festivals throughout the Netherlands. Due to his broad interest, he has played many different styles of music, also as a keyboardist / organist.
At the conservatory, Gert studied accordion with Henny Vels and piano with Henk Elkerbout. At that time Gert was asked for the tango orchestra "El Choclo", which at the time was composed of musicians from the Concertgebouw orchestra.
Later he was asked again for the new start of the "Malando Orchestra" as the first accordionist. In this orchestra he also had the opportunity to play bandoneon. This small instrument with its beautiful characteristic sound is the soul of the Argentine tango.
Because of his versatility, Gert is a sought-after musician. In the Netherlands he played together with Mathilde Santing, Laura Fygi, Lenny Kuhr, Brigitte Kaandorp, Karin Bloemen, Henny Vrienten, Huub van der Lubbe, Robert Long and Margriet Eshuis, among others.
Gert has worked with Mathilde Santing for more than ten years and he has also been to New York a few times. In 2003 he went to Japan for the first time for a tour with the Malando Orchestra. This was followed by several tours through Germany, China, Finland and Japan.
Gert still likes to improvise on his accordion when he plays with “Pigalle44”, the quartet of master guitarist Reinier Voet. He also played as a jazz accordionist with Cor Bakker, Paquito de Rivera, I Compani, The Dutch Concert Big Band and Het Metropool Orkest, among others.
Gert was the musical leader and arranger for the theater program "Sonneveld for Always", an ode to the unforgettable Wim Sonneveld and for the show "Lights in your eyes" by Haye van der Heiden. He was also an accordionist in the musicals "Ciske de Rat" and "De man van la Mancha."