The Rotterdams Conservatorium was founded in 1930 and with more than 900 students is one of the largest academies in the Netherlands. OTRA, under direction of Leo Vervelde is one of the few Big Band formations of the Tango (Orquesta Típica) still existing in the world and is part of the education program of the subject group for Argentinean Tango music at the World music Department of the Rotterdam Conservatory in the Netherlands. Students as well as teachers of the subject group are members of this orchestra. OTRA plays the styles of the orchestra of the 40 and 50. This great decade was called 'La Epoca de Oro' (Golden Decade), a period in which tango flourished in the city's of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. OTRA also plays new compositions especially written for them by young tango musicians from Buenos Aires, Paris and Rotterdam.