Villa-Lobos International
Chamber Music Festival

Artists

• Lars Hoefs, artistic director/cello

  American cellist Lars Hoefs, professor of cello and music history at Sao Paulo State University in Campinas, Brazil, performs and teaches in South America, the United States, and Europe. Lars has established himself as a leading expert on the cello repertoire of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos and is artistic director of the annual Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Festival in Southern California, the only festival dedicated to Latin American chamber music in the United States, already in its 11th year. Lars also actively promotes contemporary Brazilian music, premiering many works for cello and chamber ensemble by composers Liduino Pitombeira, Joao Guilherme Ripper, and Paulo C. Chagas among many others.

  2025 highlights included Villa-Lobos' Cello Concerto no. 2 in Bariloche (Argentina), Edino Krieger's Cello Concerto at the Biennale of Brazilian Contemporary Music in Rio de Janeiro, lectures in Mexico City, and concerts and masterclasses in Lima, Peru. Lars has released some 9 albums in the last 5 years focusing on Villa-Lobos and Latin American music, available on digital streaming platforms.

  Originally from Appleton, Wisconsin, Lars earned his high school diploma at the North Carolina School of the Arts, a Bachelors from Northwestern University studying with Hans Jorgen Jensen, and both Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles where he studied with former Los Angeles Philharmonic principal cellist Ronald Leonard. At Sao Paulo State University in Campinas, Lars founded and leads the Unicamp Cello Ensemble, a conductorless cello orchestra consisting of his current and former cello students. The Unicamp Cello Ensemble has performed at Brazil's most prestigious festivals and concert halls including the Campos do Jordao Winter Music Festival, the Rio International Cello Encounters, and the Sao Paulo Cultural Center to name a few. In 2016 they recorded a CD of world premiere recordings, featuring Lalo Schifrin's Divertimento, and toured throughout the state of Sao Paulo. Lars is also active as a researcher, publishing papers on the cello repertoire of Villa-Lobos including a feature article in The Strad magazine about the history of the cello ensemble.

• Aline Alves, piano

  Pianist Aline Alves earned a doctorate in musicology from the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), a masters in piano performance from the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) and a bachelors in piano from the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), where she served as pianist for the UFU Percussion Ensemble from 2007-09. Her piano mentors and professors have included Araceli Chacon, Mônica Hassan e Maurícy Martin. Recent performances included concerts for the Villa-Lobos Museum, the Brazilian National Association of Music Research (ANPPOM), the Brazilian Association of Musical Performance (ABRAPEM), and the Villa-Lobos Symposium at Sao Paulo University. In addition to performing, she maintains intense activity as piano professor for her private studio in Campinas. She recently served as substitute professor of piano for 3 semesters at the Universidade Estadual Paulista. In 2023 she released three albums with cellist Lars Hoefs of music by Villa-Lobos as well as world premiere recordings of living Brazilian composers.

• Isaac Allen, violin

  Violinist Isaac Allen is a founding member of the award winning Hausmann Quartet. Mr. Allen attended Manhattan School of Music and received his Undergraduate Diploma from The Longy School of Music, Masters of Music in Chamber Music Performance from Kent State University and an Artist Diploma from San Diego State University. Mr. Allen has studied violin with Ivan Chan, Laura Bossert, Terry King, Patinka Kopek and chamber music with Robert Mann, Earl Carlyss, Silvia Rosenberg and members of the Juilliard, Orion, Vermeer, Emerson, Alexander, Miami and Alban Berg String Quartets. Mr. Allen has performed throughout Canada, the U.S., China and Taiwan performing frequently at arts hubs such as Lincoln Center and the Chicago Cultural Center. With a strong dedication to teaching and coaching chamber music, Mr. Allen has given master classes throughout the United States and served as a violin instructor and chamber music coach at various schools, universities and festivals including San Diego State University, San Francisco State University, Brookline Music School, Villa Musica, The San Diego Chamber Music Workshop and the Yehudi Menuhin Chamber Music Seminar.

  An active leader in the arts, Isaac Allen currently serves as both the President of ASTA San Diego and Artistic Director of the Hausmann Chamber Music Program, a new summer festival and semester program for chamber music in San Diego. Aside from HCMP’s festival, other festival appearances have included, La Jolla SummerFest, Music@Menlo, Aspen, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival and the Blossom music festival. As a chamber musician, he has performed with Lydia Artymiw, Jeremy Denk, Paul Neubauer, Toby Appel, Steven Ansel, Ronald Thomas, Paul Katz and the Alexander and Borremeo String Quartetâs.

• Rose Chen, piano

  Rose’s music journey began at the age of 6 when she started playing the piano and picked up the oboe as her secondary instrument 3 years later. After winning numerous solo piano awards as a teenager and making her solo debut at the National Concert Hall in her native Taiwan, Rose came to the United States in 1997. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and Masters Degree at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In 2010 she completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts with full-scholarship at the prestigious USC Thornton School of Music. She was awarded the Outstanding Graduate in the USC doctoral program.

  Rose has performed as a soloist and chamber player in Canada, Austria, Brazil, France, Israel, Hong Kong, and China. Within the United States Rose was an artist-faculty at several music festivals held in Alaska, Texas, and California. In addition to her lifelong interest in western classical music, Rose’s eclectic taste in music encompasses a variety of styles and genres. Her recent projects include composing and recording music for a short film called Tasting Wednesday, the world premier of Suite Adeline for solo piano by techno pioneer Bruce Haack (1931-1988), recording an album (with cellist Dr. Lars Hoefs) dedicated entirely to the piano-cello works by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, producing annual concerts honoring Black History Month, and numerous choral arrangements of Taiwanese popular/folk songs.

  Rose is currently a music theory and piano faculty at Cypress College in Orange County and the pianist/music director at the Holy Nativity Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. Rose also enjoys singing and directs several choirs in San Gabriel area.

• Ching-Ming Cheng, piano

  Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng not only has been a recipient of the Top Music Teacher Award from Steinway & Sons every year since 2016, but in 2023, she was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame, a prestigious designation recognizing the work of North America’s most committed and passionate piano educators. Being a full professor at CSU San Marcos and currently the chair of the Music Department and was the Faculty Director on the CSUSM Foundation Board, Dr. Cheng was the recipient of the CSUSM President’s Outstanding Faculty Award in Service Leadership in 2021.

  Originally from Taiwan, Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng started playing the piano at the age of five and won her first prize in the Taipei Music Competition in her early teens. She won a silver medal in the International Keyboard Odyssiad Piano Competition and a semi-finalist in the Second Chinese International Piano Competition in New York City, representing Taiwan. Dr. Cheng holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from National Taiwan Normal University, a Master of Music degree and a Doctoral of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music both from University of Miami.

• Daniel Kamon, saxophone

  Daniel is a born-and-raised San Diegan, saxophonist, and educator whose sound reflects over a decade of performance across classical, contemporary, and jazz traditions. Known for his versatility and expressive range, he moves fluidly between genres and styles. Daniel’s work continues to be driven by improvisational curiosity and a commitment to expanding the saxophone’s expressive possibilities.

  Daniel currently performs with the Windscape Reed Quintet and the San Diego Winds, continuing a performance career that has included the SDSMI Saxophone Quartet, Coulteri Saxophone Quartet, Coastal Cities Jazz Band, and numerous chamber groups throughout Southern California and the East Coast.

  A dedicated educator, Daniel serves as a saxophone coach and instructor across San Diego County, His teaching philosophy blends classical technique, jazz fluency, and personal artistic development, empowering students to grow as both musicians and creative thinkers. Daniel holds a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where he studied under Gary Louie, and a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance from San Diego State University under Dr. Todd Rewoldt.

• Batya MacAdam-Somer, violin

  Batya MacAdam-Somer is a violinist, violist and vocalist specializing in collaboration and experimentation. Her work spans across classical, avant-garde, folk, and popular music practices, taking her to venues throughout the United States, Mexico, The United Kingdom and Europe. She lives in San Diego and performs often with local ensembles and organizations including Project [BLANK], Art of Elan, San Diego Baroque, Camarada and Bach Collegium San Diego. Batya received her DMA in contemporary violin performance from the University of California, San Diego in 2014. She writes about anxiety, self expression, and the culture of classical music on her Substack account, “Lester Bangs Lives”.

• Travis Maril, viola

  Praised for his “apt eloquence” and “persuasive, stylish ardor” (San Diego Story), violist Travis Maril is an accomplished chamber musician and innovative pedagogue. He was the gold medal winner of the 2021 Violympics, an online competition of over a hundred violinists and violists organized by Boston Symphony Concertmaster Nathan Cole.

  As violist of the Hyperion Quartet, he was a top-prize winner at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and performed on NPR’s Performance Today. His chamber music collaborators include members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Miró Quartet, and principal players of the Cleveland Orchestra, LA Phil, Dallas, San Diego and Pittsburgh Symphonies. Festival appearances include La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest, Schleswig-Holstein, Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, Ojai, the Banff Institute and Mainly Mozart.

  In Fall 2025, Travis began an appointment as Assistant Professor of Viola at the University of New Mexico. Prior to that, Travis taught at San Diego State University for nearly two decades, where he performed regularly as soloist with the SDSU Symphony Orchestra and co-founded the String Academy, a pre-college program for string students. He was awarded Outstanding SDSU Music Faculty Member in 2021.

  On his website, travis-maril.com, Travis writes regularly on topics related to string pedagogy and leads online educational programs, working with hundreds of violists from all over the world. Travis earned degrees from the University of Southern California and Rice University. His primary teachers were Donald McInnes, Ralph Fielding, Karen Ritscher, Che-Yen Chen and Nathan Cole.

• Martin Fraile Milstein, conductor

  Martín Fraile Milstein is a renowned Argentine artistic and musical director known for his extensive experience in orchestral conducting and his commitment to promoting new music.

  He is the current Head of the Río Negro Philharmonic Orchestra, the province's flagship musical organization, and the Artistic Director of the International Music Festival of Bariloche (FIMBA). His international experience spans the globe, having worked with orchestras across the United States, Argentina, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. His commitment to musical excellence earned him three national classical awards for management and artistic excellence in 2023.

  A dedicated advocate for contemporary music, Milstein actively collaborates on projects to advance Argentine symphonic music. He has been integral to the Federal Plan for Orchestras, partnering with the Argentine Association of Composers and the Argentine Forum of Composers. His expertise is internationally recognized, leading him to serve as a juror for the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers on four occasions.

  Fraile Milstein's current 2025–26 season demonstrates his global influence, finding him leading orchestras in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, the United States, and Spain. Martín Fraile Milstein is a regional reference in the field, whose commitment to innovation and musical excellence drives his work with prominent institutions and orchestras worldwide.

• Lisa Parente, soprano

  Small, yet mighty, Soprano Lisa Parente is known for her “effortless high notes and agile coloratura”, Coronado Magazine.

  Some of her operatic roles include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Madame Goldentrill in The Impresario, The Dew Fairy in Hänsel und Gretel, and Amore in L’incoronazione di Poppea. Lisa is also a member of the San Diego Opera Chorus, and had the pleasure of singing in the world premiere of El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego by Gabriela Lena Frank.

  In addition to opera, she has an extensive oratorio and concert repertoire, and has been heard as the soprano soloist in Saint-Saën’s Oratorio de Noël, Poulenc’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Vaughn Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, Faure’s Requiem, and was the soprano soloist in the world premiere of Hollis Thoms’ Requiem 2020, commemorating those lost due to Covid-19. She has been featured in many concert series, such as Opera À La Carte, Music Box at Church in the Forest, Bach in Baltimore, Opera Wednesdays, and Union Square Concert Series, and is a frequent soloist with Musica Vitale.

  Lisa has won many awards, including First Place in the California Women’s Choral Competition, Second Place in the San Diego Choral Club Competition, Honorable Mention in the La Jolla Young Artist Competition, and has been a finalist in prestigious competitions such as the Musical Merit Awards and the Sylvia Green Competition.

  Lisa holds a Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance from Peabody Conservatory, and a Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance from San Diego State University.

• Karl Pasch, clarinet

  Karl Pasch is principal clarinetist with the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, and is active as a chamber musician, conductor, and composer. He has performed concert tours with the Blue Rose Trio in California and Alaska, and was a featured guest artist at the Virtuosi Festival in Recife, Brazil.

  After winning a Rasmussen Artist Grant, he toured in Brazil and released a live CD of South American chamber music.

  Karl has conducted with the Anchorage Civic Orchestra, the Anchorage Ballet, the Anchorage Concert Chorus, and Anchorage Theatre Orchestra. He also performs with the Damberg Latin Jazz Quintet, and the gypsy jazz group the Hot Club of Nunaka.

• Venus Rey, Jr., visiting composer

  Venus Rey Jr (Mexico City, 1969) Symphonic composer, writer, essayist, and academic. His musical work has been presented in the United States, Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico, in venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York; the Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains and the Basilica of St Cecilia in Trastevere, in Rome; the International House of Music in Moscow; the Claudio Santoro National Theater, in Brasilia; the conservatories of Frankfurt (Germany), Venice and Ferrara (Italy), and the National Conservatory in Mexico City; the National Center for the Arts, the Ponce Hall of the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Silvestre Revueltas Hall of the Ollin Yoliztli Cultural Center in Mexico City; the Juárez Theater in Guanajuato, within the framework of the Cervantino Festival; among others.

  In addition to some fifty musical works covering various genres such as symphony, cantata, and mass, and formations ranging from extended symphony orchestra to choral and chamber ensembles and solo instruments, Venus Rey Jr has published two books of fiction, three volumes of poetry, and several essays on music, law, and philosophy in academic journals from institutions such as Universidad Iberoamericana, ITAM, and Universidad Anáhuac.

  He has released twelve albums of his compositions. Recently, the Japanese label Da Vinci Classics, specialized in concert music, released three albums by Venus Rey Jr: Pavlova Songs (2020), with material recorded in Moscow; Quattro Elementi (2023), with material recorded by the San Luis Potosí Symphony Orchestra; and The BenAmil Project (2024), with material recorded in Spain.

  The music of Venus Rey Jr. has been presented in at least one hundred concerts in Mexico and abroad and has been broadcast on radio and/or television in Mexico, Italy, the Vatican, Russia, and the United States.

• Carmelo de los Santos, violin

  Brazilian-born violinist Cármelo de los Santos enjoys an exciting career as a soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. From his extensive concerto experience to his most recent performances of the 24 Caprices by Paganini and the sonatas and partitas of Bach, his virtuosity and commitment to communicate the essence of music captivate audiences worldwide. Cármelo has performed as a guest soloist with more than 40 orchestras, including the New World Symphony, Santa Fe Pro Musica, the Santa Fe Symphony, New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, the Montevideo Philharmonic, Orquestra Musica d’Oltreoceano (Rome), and the major orchestras in Brazil. Cármelo is a winner of several international competitions including the 4th Júlio Cardona International String Competition (Portugal). In 2002, Cármelo made his New York debut as soloist and conductor in the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall with the ARCO Chamber Orchestra. Cármelo is an Associate Professor of Violin at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and plays on an Angelo Soliani violin, 1791.

• Francisco Vila, cello

  Vila is a soloist and chamber musician renowned for his sensitivity, penetrating sound and technical mastery of his instrument. His performance career spans Asia, Europe, and the Americas, where he has captivated audiences with his artistry, depth and unique sound.

  Francisco’s collaborations highlight his versatility and dedication to musical excellence, performing alongside celebrated artists such as Gary Hoffman, Cho-Liang Lin, Maria João Pires, Nobuko Imai, and members of the Juilliard String Quartet, among others. His artistic journey has been shaped under the mentorship of iconic musicians, including Gary Hoffman at the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium, and the legendary cellist Janos Starker at Indiana University. Making his orchestral debut at the age of 14, he has appeared as a soloist with renowned orchestras worldwide, including the Houston Symphony, the Liège Royal Philharmonic, the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, the Santander Festival Orchestra, all principal orchestras in his native Ecuador, among others.

  Vila served as principal cellist of the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra in Denmark from 2016-2019.

  His remarkable career includes a fellowship at the prestigious Ravinia Steans Music Institute and guest artist appearances at world-renowned festivals such as the Beaumaris International Music Festival, the Santander Music Festival, the Stavelot Music Festival, and the iPalpiti Festival of International Laureates. He has graced celebrated stages including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Carnegie Hall, Philadelphia's Kimmel Center, Disney Hall, Japan's Phoenix Hall, and the Mozarteum Salzburg.

  Aside from performance, Vila views teaching as an important aspect in music-making. In 2015, Mr. Vila founded the first International Music Festival of Esmeraldas (Ecuador). His mentors include Andrew Mark, Janos Starker, Sharon Robinson, Menahem Pressler and Gary Hoffman at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel where he earned an Artist Diploma. In 2012, he became the winner of the second prize of the Sphinx Competition in Detroit, Michigan.

  Vila also performed the premiere of the cello concerto "Espejos en la Arena" of the Mexican composer Arturo Márquez, in the United States.

  Through his expansive career and commitment to musical excellence, Francisco has solidified his position as one of the preeminent performers of his generation, captivating audiences across the world’s most illustrious stages.

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