Chuchito Valdes at the UCPAC

Sponsored by Northfield Bank Foundation

Piano Masters Series inaugural event featuring CHUCHITO VALDES with guest host Terrance McKnight: Friday, March 20, 2009 at 8PM: Tickets: $35

Box Office: 732-499-8226 or online at www.ucpac.org

Union County Performing Arts Center presents the Piano Masters Series inaugural event featuring a rare solo performance by CHUCHITO VALDES on Friday, March 20th at 8PM with guest host Terrance McKnight, WNYC Radio's host of Evening Music, the station's nightly classical music program. The UCPAC Piano Masters Series is produced by PianoCulture.com and sponsored by Northfield Bank Foundation.

Friday night is piano night at the UCPAC! The Piano Masters Series offers each audience member the unique opportunity to: Experience the most compelling live performances by renowned concert pianists on stage at the beautiful UCPAC; Embrace your passion with this totally extraordinary piano experience that celebrates art in a beautifully intimate environment where the audience meets the music; Enrich your life with the pure sounds of some of the finest pianos the world has to offer. Pianos for the Piano Masters Series are provided by Noble Art Pianos, Easton, PA and Klavierhaus Concert Services, NYC.

Chuchito Valdes, following in the footsteps of his famed father Chucho Valdes and grandfather Bebo Valdes, continues the legacy of great piano players from Cuba.

With influences of Caribbean rhythms and jazz, Chuchito creates an exciting and energetic blend of spicy music that drives audiences wild. This piano master captivates with his sensitivity.

Chuchito is recognized as a master of Cuban music including Son, Danzon, Cuban Timba and Guaguanco. He has also extensively studied classical music including harmony and composition. His original compositions and arrangements draw on classical harmonic and structural techniques. In his performances, Chuchito's music draws on many styles including Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz, Bebop, Danzon, Cha-Cha-Cha, Son Montuno and much more.

Chuchito has recorded and performed piano with the world-renowned Cuban band, Irakere, which he led for two years. He has also performed at festivals, clubs and concerts throughout the world, from Cuba and the Caribbean to North America, South America, and Europe. When he is not traveling around the world performing, Chuchito lives in Cancun, Mexico where he leads his Afro-Cuban based Latin-Jazz ensemble.

As host of the weeknight edition of Evening Music, Terrance McKnight brings to the position wide and varied musical experience that includes performance, teaching and radio broadcast. An accomplished pianist, McKnight was also a member of the Morehouse College faculty, where he taught music appreciation and applied piano since 1998.

Tickets for this rare solo performance are just $35 and may be purchased by calling 732-499-8226 or online by visiting the website at www.UCPAC.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the UCPAC Box Office located at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway. The UCPAC Box Office is open Tuesday through Friday from 11AM until 5PM and also opens two hours prior to curtain time of any ticket event.

Enjoying a prime location in Union County, Union County Performing Arts Center is dedicated to making this landmark theatre the logical choice for the performing arts. The Arts Center provides barrier-free access and seating for patrons upon request. Located at 1601 Irving Street in Rahway, the theatre is within walking distance of the Rahway NJ Transit train station and can be reached by taking exit 135 from the Garden State Parkway or exit 12 from the NJ Turnpike. Parking is available downtown at the Rahway Parking Garage. A free shuttle is often available to and from the theatre.

The Union County Performing Arts Center provides exciting live performances that are educational, affordable and responsive to the diverse interests of our communities. UCPAC would like to thank the following for their continued support: the County of Union Board of Chosen Freeholders, the City of Rahway, Merck Company Foundation, RSI Bank, Friends of the UCAC, The Hyde and Watson Foundation, Merck & Co. Inc., Discover Jersey Arts, PennPAT, Northfield Bank, Northfield Bank Foundation, Rahway Junior Service League, The Employees of ConocoPhillips Bayway Refinery, Crowne Plaza (Clark), family Magazine and Yellowbook. This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Piano Masters Series inaugural event featuring CHUCHITO VALDES with guest host Terrance McKnight, Friday, March 20, 2009 at 8PM, Tickets: $35