Harpist to perform at Winchester Center

Mariano Gonzalez will perform traditional South American music on the Paraguayan harp at 2 p.m. Aug. 12 in the Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive.

Gonzalez will be accompanied by Bob Rozario on the piano.

Tickets can be purchased at Winchester Cultural Center. General admission is $15, $10 for seniors and students.

Gonzalez was born and raised as a cowboy in Buena Vista, Paraguay.

As a member of a family of harpists, he began playing at age 5 under the tutelage of his father and grandfather.

After finishing his studies in 1971, he performed extensively in Europe, Japan, Argentina, Paraguay and the United States.

Gonzalez successfully redesigned the Paraguayan harp to allow more jazz, popular and semiclassical influences into his repertoire.

Gonzalez currently lives in Las Vegas and is part of singer Tony Orlando's touring show.