"Mimi" Pemberton piano concert set for April 14 in Independence

INDEPENDENCE—The Arts Council of the Twin Counties is so excited to announce the appearance of Madelyn “Mimi” Pemberton for our Sunday, April 14th Winter Concert at the Historic 1908 Courthouse in Independence.

Madelyn, a local academic and arts prodigy, a recent graduate of James Madison University, is currently completing her first year of graduate studies at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and makes her Winter Concert Series debut on April 14th at 3pm. A reception will follow the performance, and admission to the concert is free of charge, though donations are gratefully accepted at the door.

Madelyn Pemberton is a classically trained pianist, performing for nearly twenty years. Since beginning lessons at the age of five, Madelyn has performed with acclaimed ensembles and competed in numerous national and international music competitions. Madelyn earned her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from James Madison University studying piano with Dr. Lori Piitz. Under the tutelage of Dr. Piitz, Madelyn competed in various national and international competitions, including the Great Composers International Competition Series: Best Brahms Performance, Best Mozart Performance, and Best Chopin Performance, to which Madelyn earned top prizes competing with musicians all over the world. In addition, she served as the pianist for the praised JMU Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony under the direction of Dr. Stephen Bolstad, performing concerts and even a world premiere.

She is currently pursuing her Master's in Piano Performance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts studying with Dr. Dmitri Shteinberg. She has performed with several different ensembles including the UNCSA Wind Ensemble and UNCSA Cantata Singer, and has even been requested by the Piedmont Wind Symphony to perform with them in concert. At UNCSA, Madelyn currently teaches piano to high schoolers while actively working towards a position on staff at the UNCSA Community Music School as a private piano instructor.

The Arts Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts throughout the Twin Counties and is funded in part by area individuals and businesses, the City of Galax, the Town of Independence, the Town of Hillsville, Grayson County, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, please visit the Arts Council website, www.artsculturalcouncil.org or call the office at 276-238-1217.