Fallbrook Music Society presents 'Inspiration and Contrast'

FALLBROOK – Fallbrook Music Society invites music lovers to a one-of-a-kind concert experience, "Inspiration and Contrast," Sunday, Nov. 25, featuring a local favorite, Vania Pimentel.

The 3 p.m. concert will be held in the Community Room of the Fallbrook Public Library and is free to the general public. No tickets are required.

"If you have never seen Vania perform, she is thrilling," Ann Murray, executive director of Fallbrook Music Society, said.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Pimentel is a concert pianist who has performed solo recitals and in chamber music programs in the United States, Brazil and Europe since the 1970s. Pimentel began receiving scholarships, honors and awards in piano competitions at the age of seven.

She has earned both a bachelor's degree in piano and philosophy from Brazil, a Graduate Diploma for the Arts from Germany, a master's degree and a doctorate in performance and pedagogy from the University of Houston. Pimentel has been living and performing in San Diego since 2009.

She promotes Brazilian music in creative recital programs. Her doctoral dissertation was on Brazilian toccatas, and her CD "Brazilian Toccatas and Toccatinas" was praised by the Brazilian Academy of Music and newspaper critics in Rio de Janeiro.

The program is centered on the contrasting styles of, and repertoire composed by, European pianists and those from Latin America.

"People will be coming out of the woodwork for the diversity of repertoire encapsulated in just this one concert," Murray said. "Vania's performance runs the gamut from a Chopin 'waltz' to a Scarlatti 'sonata' to more flashy 'tangos' by Isaac Albeniz and Ernesto Nazareth. My advice? Come early."

The performance concludes with a special toccata arranged and dedicated to Pimentel composed by Aaron Alter.

The concert begins with a program preview at 2:30 p.m. A reception immediately follows the concert on the Poet's Patio. More information is available through http://www.FallbrookMusicSociety.org.