Julien Labro

Julien Labro is an accordion and bandoneón soloist who moves fluidly between classical, jazz, tango, and world music. As a performer, composer, and arranger, he builds concept-driven programs that bridge these traditions.

Born in France, Labro began playing the accordion at age 9, shaped early by traditional folk music and French chanson. His artistic voice expanded through a deep engagement with jazz. After graduating from the Marseille Conservatory of Music, he won top prizes at major international competitions, including the Coupe Mondiale and Castelfidardo, and first prizes at the Marcel Azzola, Jo Privat, and Médard Ferrero competitions. In 1998, he relocated to the United States, completing advanced studies in classical music, jazz, and composition.

A devoted admirer of Astor Piazzolla — whose music inspired him to take up the bandoneón — Labro is a leading interpreter of tango repertoire. He recorded the album "Piazzolla" with guitarist and Grammy Award winner Jason Vieaux and the conductorless chamber orchestra A Far Cry, and has collaborated with Grammy Award-winning vocalist Cassandra Wilson on "Another Country." His collaboration with Spektral Quartet produced the album "From This Point Forward," featuring alto saxophonist and MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenón.

Labro has appeared as a guest soloist with orchestras across North America and the Middle East. His chamber collaborators include The Knights, the Met Orchestra Chamber Ensemble, and Camerata Pacifica.

Since the 2021-22 season, Labro has partnered regularly with the Takács Quartet in a touring program of works by Clarice Assad and Bryce Dessner, commissioned by Music Accord. He recently premiered Vivaldi 23.5, his concerto for accordion and orchestra inspired by Earth's axial tilt and the forces that create the seasons. In 2024, he received a Latin Grammy nomination for best classical composition for Meditation No. 1, premiered and recorded with the Takács Quartet.

Committed to music education, Labro leads masterclasses and residencies at institutions including Princeton University, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He received the Wayne State University Arts Achievement Award in 2025.

He has appeared at Carnegie Hall Citywide, Lincoln Center, Ravinia, and Big Ears Festival, toured with the Takács Quartet, and performed with the Maria Schneider Orchestra. He is featured on the orchestra's upcoming recording "American Crow" (February 2026), preceded by a week-long residency at Birdland Jazz Club. Labro is composing a second bandoneón concerto, a sequel to El Fueye del Tiburón (The Bellows of the Shark).