Steven Alvarez facts for kids

Steven Alvarez is a talented Mescalero Apache and Yaqui artist. He is known as a vocalist (singer), percussionist (someone who plays drums and other rhythm instruments), and a producer for films and stage shows.

Steven grew up in a family that moved a lot because of the military. This meant he lived in many different places, like the coasts of the U.S., Hawaii, and Okinawa. Because of this, he experienced many different cultures as he was growing up.

Steven's Artistic Journey

Steven is an artist who works in many different areas. He has worked professionally with large music groups like symphony orchestras, opera companies, and musical theatre groups. He also works with cultural organizations.

Film Production Work

Steven produced and helped manage twelve cultural documentary films for the Alaska Native Heritage Center. These films have been shown at film festivals around the world and were even broadcast on PBS, a national TV channel in the United States.

Early Music Career

Steven started working as a professional musician when he was just 16 years old. He used his earnings from performing as a singer and percussionist to help pay for college. He has worked with many bands, music groups, and theatre companies for over 30 years.

From 1982 to 1989, he regularly played with the Monterey Symphony and Santa Cruz Symphony Orchestras. In 1983, he was a special guest artist at the Monterey Jazz Festival with jazz musician Bobby Hutcherson. Steven has also recorded music for radio and TV commercials, both as a singer and a percussionist. One famous commercial he worked on is the Hershey's Kisses Christmas spot, which has been shown every year since 1989. Before moving to Anchorage in 1997, Steven worked as a freelance percussionist and singer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Theatre and Live Performances

Steven has performed in, directed, or produced more than 40 theatre shows. He also helped start a theatre group called Theatre Artists United in Anchorage, Alaska.

In 2015, he was the Artistic Director and Producer for "Spirit - the 7th Fire of Alaska." This was an Alaskan version of a big musical work by Peter Buffett. In 2008 and again in 2018, he worked with the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra to produce "Echoes." This was a brand new musical piece that combined traditional songs and dances from Hawaii, Alaska, and Native America with a symphony orchestra.

Notable Stage Roles

Some of Steven's most famous roles on stage include:

• Jesus and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar
• Che in Evita
• The Celebrant in Bernstein Mass
• The Evangelist in Bach's St John Passion

He also created and performed a special one-person Native American theatre show. This show mixes traditional storytelling, modern songs, and film. It was first shown at the National Museum of the American Indian and has been performed all over the country.

Current Work and Contributions

From 2000 to 2015, Steven held various roles at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. He directed programs related to arts, education, and public events.

Today, Steven is the main percussionist for the Anchorage Symphony, the Anchorage Opera, and the Anchorage Concert Chorus orchestras. In 2010, he performed at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver with Valerie Naranjo, a percussionist from Saturday Night Live. He is also a member of the intertribal band Medicine Dream and Taagi, Three Sides, a Native classical music trio with cellist Dawn Avery and violinist Tara-Louise Montour. He currently serves as the Tribal Administrator for Ugashik Traditional Village.