When Grammy-nominated Cuban American pianist Alfredo Rodriguez makes his Athens debut Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Ramsey Concert Hall, there will be one distinct improvement from his childhood days of practicing at home: He’ll actually have a piano.
Born and raised in Havana, Rodriguez was confined by the numerous restrictions imposed by his country. Yet his love for the piano grew so strong that he wasn’t deterred by lacking an instrument. Instead, he painted piano keys on his parents’ dinner table so he could run his scales.
Today, Rodriguez is an internationally recognized artist, largely because of a chance encounter with the late Quincy Jones. In 2006, at age 19, Rodriguez received an invitation to represent Cuba at the Montreux Jazz Festival in the International Solo Piano Competition. He made his way to Switzerland, where he ended up being invited to festival founder Claude Nobs’s chalet to play for the guests, one of whom happened to be Jones.
Upon Jones’ return to Los Angeles, he couldn’t get Rodriguez out of his mind. He called his vice president, Adam Fell, and explained that Rodriguez was one of the best pianists he had ever seen and they needed to work with him. Little did they know that Rodriguez had only received permission to travel to Switzerland to play in the competition (as it was difficult for Cubans to obtain a travel visa), and they also learned it would be illegal to work with him due to the Cuban embargo.
Rodriguez would have to relinquish his Cuban citizenship and jeopardize his ability to return home until he obtained a green card. After a year and a half of contemplating, he mustered up the courage and made the difficult decision to leave his family behind for a country that could offer him the platform he needed to share the broader message of his music with more people.
He’s been featured over the years by All Things Considered, Downbeat, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal, among many others, and performed for NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert. He continues to share his music along with his impactful message of perseverance and cross culturalization, while sharing a variety of viral social media videos in which he plays well-known compositions in a Cuban timba style.
This performance is supported by J.M. Dixen.
Three ways to get tickets
- Purchase tickets online at pac.uga.edu.
- Call the Performing Arts Center box office at 706-542-4400, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center box office, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (five-minute parking is available in the drop off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)
Audience members can create their own series of three or more performances for 10% off. UGA Presents single tickets start at just $25 with promo code PAC25, and UGA student tickets are $10. Parking is free.
To learn more about all UGA Performing Arts Center events, visit pac.uga.edu.
