NVC Orchestra Director presents benefit concert Nov 16 (oh, and he's gay)

Napa Valley College's Orchestra Director and Professor of Music is holding a special benefit concert to purchase a "fleet of pianos" for their new Performing Art Center and all it's student and rehearsal space.

The Bay area community is invited as Napa Valley College presents Roberto-Juan González, crooner, and The Michael Parsons Jazz Trio performing "Torch Songs," a benefit concert for the Piano Fund of the Performing Arts Center for Education, under construction on the campus at NVC. The evening's performance, presenting songs from the American Songbook of the 1930's through the 1950's, featuring Michael Parsons, piano, Adam Guy, bass, and Ulf Bjorkbom, drums, will take place on Sunday, November 16, at 7 p.m. in the Napa Valley College Theater.

Gonzo---excuse me, Dr. Roberto González from Napa Valley College--sent us an email letting us know about the deeper meaning and his personal connection behind their upcoming fundraiser concert for the Performing Arts Center they are building:

As you might know by now, much change has happened in my life since 2005, as there are few secrets in a small town like Napa. I am out of the closet after being hetero-married for 25 years. I have taught at Napa College for 21 years and am out to the campus community. I am the orchestra director for Napa College and have been a professional conductor for 40 years, having first been employed as such at the age of 15. I am also a proud member of the San Francisco leather community. I was the Interim Director of the San Francisco Lesbian-Gay Freedom Band for it's 30 Anniversary Season, last year...

One of the best parts of the changes that came in 2005 with coming out was that, thanks to NVC Prof. Eve-Anne Wilkes’ suggestion, I revived something from my past that had lain unattended for many years: my singing career...

Actually, due to the Proposition 8 news and follow-up mayhem to action, his press release kind-of got buried for a moment (which he teasingly blasted me for in follow up emails). If you love music from "the American Songbook", or are a supporter of local music and arts, it sounds like this concert will be for you. Tickets are only $12 general and $10 for students.

Dr. González shares more about why The Fruit readers might be more interested, from a musical and gay angle:

I will be singing Billy Strayhorn's LUSH LIFE and SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR, with some very frank talk about those songs and the life he lived, hiding in plain view as a gay man of color during the Harlem Renaissance, and the rest of his life.

For more information click through to his full press release, which I also found hosted on another local blog.