BERNARDS – The public is invited to a special Evening of the Arts, which will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 17, at the Somerset County Senior Wellness Center, located at 202 Mt Airy Road. 

The evening will begin with an Art Show, showcasing the talents of local artists whose art will be on display throughout the Senior Wellness Center. A benefit concert by internationally acclaimed, American classical guitarist Giovanni De Chiaro will be held at 7:30 p.m., featuring music by Franz Schubert, John Duarte, Isaac Albeniz, Maurice Ravel, Ralph Vaughn-Williams, Scott Joplin and Francisco Tarrega.

Because seating is limited, advance purchase is recommended.  Tickets are $12 each and can be obtained at any county-operated senior center, including the Senior Wellness Center (Bernards), Hillsborough Senior Center, Manville Senior Center, Montgomery Senior Center, Quail Brook Senior Center (Franklin), Raritan Senior Center and Warrenbrook Senior Center (Warren). Tickets also can be purchased from the Office on Aging and Disability Services in the county Human Services Building, located at 27 Warren St., Somerville.

Alternatively, tickets can be reserved by mailing payment, indicating the number of seats desired, to: Barbara Karpinski, Somerset County Office on Aging & Disability Services, P.O. Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876. Checks should be made payable to “Somerset County OOA&DS Health Promotion.” Payment must be received by Monday, May 13.

All proceeds from the event will be used to support senior center activities, including a small percentage from Art Show sales, and a donation from Giovanni De Chiaro of $9 from the sale of each of his music CD’s, which will be available for purchase during the Evening of the Arts.

Giovanni De Chiaro has presented seven solo recitals at Carnegie Hall and more recently performed there with the Mississippi Guitar Quartet, an ensemble he established. His concerts have been held throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America and Europe. De Chiaro performed for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in Rome, and was invited to perform for President and Mrs. Bill Clinton for two special Christmas functions at the White House.  He has recorded four globally televised programs for EWTN and two nationally televised programs for PBS, both of which received Gold Awards and top honors at several film festivals.

De Chiaro is also the founder and director of the Carlow Choir and of the Alexandria Youth Orchestra. The Carlow Choir has presented concerts of sacred music throughout the United States, in Ireland and Rome. The choir performed for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, and recorded three special television programs for EWTN. The Alexandria Youth Orchestra has won four national orchestral competitions since its inception in 2009, and is preparing to play at Carnegie Hall and the White House in December.                    

The Evening of the Arts is sponsored by the Somerset County Office on Aging and Disability Services, which operates seven senior centers. The centers offer wellness programs and a variety of educational, recreational and entertaining programs for the lifelong enrichment of active adults age 60 and above.

For more information, contact the Somerset County Office on Aging & Disability Services toll-free at 1-888-747-1122.