Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club

Grammy-winning Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club will kick off the 2013-2014 season at California State University, Northridge’s Valley Performing Arts Center with a night of diverse Cuban music on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

Creators of the best selling Cuban album in history, the band consistently dazzles packed houses across the globe. Its unique blend of son, bolero, salsa and Latin jazz has been thrilling audiences for nearly 20 years. Original band members Omara Portuondo, Guajiro Mirabal, Barbarito Torres and Eliades Ochoa will perform, with special guest jazz-fusion pianist Roberto Fonseca as the evening’s opening act.

“Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club is representative of the quality and diversity of this season’s 50-plus performance schedule,” said Steve Thachuk, the center’s new interim director. “Our third season offers something for every artistic taste.”

From country stars Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, to celebrated dance with the Shanghai Ballet; to the artistic excellence of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra; to the dramatic distinction of The Acting Company’s “Hamlet;” to the cool grooves of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis; to returning Broadway super-stars Bernadette Peters and Brian Stokes Mitchell, the Valley Performing Arts Center’s third season will continue to provide world-class arts to the community at affordable prices.

VPAC-Black-UniversityVPAC patrons may choose from nine series subscriptions or purchase single tickets. The series are: Jazz, Premier Classical, Classical Orchestra, Americana & More, Theatre, Dance, American Song, World Music and Dance, and Marquee/Features.

Other featured performances include John Mauceri with Orchestra performing Verdi and Wagner; Yamato: The Drummers of Japan; Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble; John Batiste and Stay Human; the Pat Metheny Unity Group; and Doc Severinsen and His Big Band with special guest Mary Wilson of The Supremes.

Other performers include John Pizzerelli, the Turtle Island Quartet with Nellie McKay, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Pinchas Zuckerman, the Moscow Festival Ballet, the Masters of Bluegrass Band, The Oak Ridge Boys, premier banjo player Belá Fleck and Brooklyn Rider, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and L.A. Theatre Works’ production of “The Graduate.”

“In addition to the wide-range of guest artists we have already booked, I hope members of our audience will visit our performance hall regularly and often for additional attractions,” Thachuk said. “We are actively searching for excellent entertainers who will reflect the unique interests and tastes of our multicultural community members.”

The 1,700-seat Valley Performing Arts Center has established Cal State Northridge as a hub for culture and performing arts in the region. It is a prime component of the university’s commitment to building a national reputation on a valley foundation.

For more information, contact CSUN’s Valley Performing Arts Center at www.valleyperformingartscenter.org or call the ticket office at (818) 677-3000.