BACKGROUND
Ruben Alvarez is a Chicago based Latin percussionist, drum set artist, composer and producer. He develops educational music presentations for Urban Gateways, the Center for Arts in Education, the Ravinia festivals "JazzMentors" program, Bands of America, the International Association of Jazz Educators artist outreach, and Teacher Training Institute programs, and the Chicago Symphony's Armonîa community outreach program.
Alvarez is also a clinician and is on the educational advisory board for Latin Percussion and is a member of the International Association of Jazz Educators educational resource team. He is the musical director of the Raices Latin percussion ensmble and El Trio Tropical Latin music ensemble.
His performance credits include movie soundtracks, jingles, and recorded and live appearances with a variety of artists and musical situations which include Eddie Palmieri, Chucho Valdez, Dave Valentín, Anita Baker, The Commodores, Junior Wells, and John Mayall, Dave Mason and Dennis DeYoung (of Styx), Patricia Barber, Laurel Massé, and Marc Antoine, as well as the Chicago Sinfonetta, the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra.
Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music 711 Elgin Road, Evanston, IL 60208-1200 Phone: 847-491-7575
Music Admission and Financial Aid: musiclife@northwestern.edu
Bienen School of Music webmaster: nusmweb@northwestern.edu