Dueling Pianos by Bonnie Mason and Van Walraven
BONNIE MASON is a classically trained pianist and singer from Ozark, Alabama. After earning her degree in music from FSU in 2001, she traveled the country performing until she landed in Portland, Oregon in 2004, where she was trained to play DUELING pianos under Val Walraven, her piano partner on this cruise! It was at this club where she met and performed with Joel Mason, her recently deceased husband who has been one of StarVista’s well-loved performers for many years! Dueling Pianos is a high energy, interactive, all request show that puts YOU in charge of what gets played!
Bonnie has performed all over the world, recorded many solo albums and has had the honor of playing alongside with famous acts such as Lionel Richie. She has been a popular Las Vegas entertainer in dueling piano bars since 2005, representing the Las Vegas Entertainment industry in Washington D.C. alongside Mayor Oscar Goodman in 2007. She has performed at NYNY, The Paris, Encore, Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock Casino, Caesar’s Palace, MGM Grand, Hard Rock Casino, just to name a few. She is currently at Las Vegas’ number 1 piano bar, Harrah’s Piano Bar, 5 nights a week. If you make a visit to Las Vegas, be sure to check out her schedule at www.bonniemason.net!
VAN WALRAVEN is a self-taught pianist singer from Dallas, Texas. After performing with his own, variety music show bands throughout the ‘80s, Van returned to his hometown in 1991, where he was first introduced to the “dueling pianos” format at its landmark club, Alley Cats in downtown Dallas.
Soon afterwards, Van accepted an offer to perform at the original, two-piano nightclub, Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans and at their newly opened club in Cancun, Mexico. Later, he held Musical Directorship and Marquee Entertainer positions at Blazing Pianos in Orlando, the Eldorado Casino in Reno, and most notably, at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
In 2000, Van left Vegas to open, co-own and operate a dueling pianos nightclub, Wallbangers, in Portland, Oregon. It was there that he met Joel and Bonnie Mason, with whom he fostered a stellar musical collaboration… and an even more stellar friendship.
Meanwhile, in 2001, Van set the Guinness World Record for longest piano marathon, playing continuously for 39 hours and 976 songs! Van’s extensive cruise ship experience includes producing the first “family friendly” dueling pianos show for Disney Cruise Line, managing and booking the piano bar entertainers for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC Cruises and Holland America Line cruises.
Currently, Van produces and performs in his own dueling pianos show at the Harveys Resort Casino in Lake Tahoe, now enjoying the 6th year of its residency.
Van lives in Las Vegas… close to the airport!