Purchase Tickets | Seating Chart War Memorial
December 31, 2009
War Memorial Auditorium
Thursday - 8:00pm
The Best New Year's Eve Party In Town!
New Year's Eve with
West End Mambo
Bruce Kiesling, conductor
A fiery mix of salsa and Latin songs from bolero and rumbas to guaracha and son montuno. You will love the energy and spirit of West End Mambo!
Sponsors
Joseph M. Bryan Foundation
About the Artist's
West End Mambo is headed by musicians Steve Blake and Cesar Oviedo. The band was formed in 1999 by Andrew Valentine, a Russian, whose neighbor was a Cuban Musician. Although Valentine is no longer with the band, they continue to specialize in classic salsa, plus a variety of Latin music styles, including Latin jazz, and have grown into a 10-piece band.
Cesar Oviedo was born in Nicaragua and graduated from the National Conservatory of Music and began his musical career in the city of Managua as a bass player with the jazz fusion band Praxis. He plays different styles including Brazilian, Rock, Flamenco and Latin American Folk. He won first prize in the Festival de la Juventud and was Music Adviser for The Nicaraguan National Television Systems Network for three years. Cesar has produced, played and recorded with Latin Caribbean,Reggae, Salsa, Cuban and Merengue bands in Miami, toured with Soul Vibes, was Musical Director of Tropical Splash in Las Vegas, and spent four months playing Jazz in Japan. He is currently producing his own music as well as arranging, playing bass and piano with West End Mambo
Steve Blake is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music. His 25 year career includes live performances with R&B artists including The Four Tops and The Temptations. He performed at the Brevard Jazz Festival with The Matt Kendrick Unit, sharing the bill with the Yellowjackets and Kenny Garret. He appears on recordings with the Matt Kendrick Unit, the Alan Neese Quintet and the Joe Robinson Group. Steve is an accomplished writer, arranger and recording engineer, producing numerous successful independent releases for regional artists.
About the Conductor
Conductor Bruce Kiesling is currently the Music Director of the Tulare County Symphony in California. His background encompasses conducting, harpsichord performance, theater, and piano work in both classical and popular genres. Originally from Canton, Ohio, Dr. Kiesling received degrees from the University of Michigan, the University of Miami (Florida) and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Bruce spent eight years as Resident Conductor for the Greensboro Symphony, where he led classical concerts, the Holiday Concert, the Gospel Concert (featuring Curt Karr, Richard Smallwood and Wintley Phipps), the highly successful education concerts, and many appearances with Carolina Pops.
In addition, he served as Music Director and Conductor for the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra, having led the orchestra at the Kennedy Center, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and Carnegie Hall. Under Dr. Kiesling’s guidance, the youth orchestra program more than doubled in size and expanded to six different ensembles with more than 200 members. Bruce also led the Choral Society of Greensboro from 2007-2009.
Dr. Kiesling is also a harpsichordist and has led performances from the keyboard with the University of Miami Chamber Orchestra, the Clarke Chamber Players and the Florida Baroque Ensemble. In the theater, he spent several years as the Supervising Music Director for the five-time Emmy–award winning political satire troupe, The News in Revue.
Dr. Kiesling is an active composer of theater music and film scores. He has provided music for more than twenty productions in the past two years, including the feature films “Wesley” and “Foresight.” His music has been performed off-Broadway and in cabarets in New York City and at Triad Stage.
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