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Described by the Toronto NOW Magazine as a "rising star," Mexican-born flutist Alhelí Pimienta has performed and taught in over 30 countries. Alhelí has presented lectures, conferences and masterclasses at the University of Toronto, the University of Nebraska in Omaha, University of California Berkeley, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, the National Library of Catalonia in Barcelona, The American Cathedral in Paris, amongst many others. Having started her musical training at the age of 7, by age 14, she completed her first Western European multi-concert tour as the second flutist of the Mexican dance company "Fiesta Mexicana." During her foundational years, she trained baroque flutes, guitar, folk flutes and music appreciation with Jesús Mora Zamarripa, Carlos Trejo and Martín Ortíz Gurami in La Casa de La Cultura de Ciudad del Carmen, México. Her flute teachers include Luis Alfredo González and Miguel Angel Villanueva (México), Leonard Garrison and Merrie Siegel (USA), with Susan Hoeppner (Canada), Pierre Yves-Artaud (France), María Gabriela Rodríguez (Venezuela), Aysha Wills (Netherlands) and with Gergely Ittzés (Hungary). Alheli has curated performances and festivals in America that advocate for diversity in classical music. These events include the Toronto Latin American Flute Festival, the International Flute and Piccolo Convention of Monterrey, and the Canadian Flute Convention. Mrs. Pimienta is a passionate flute teacher and founder of Flute Sprint International Studio, where she teaches talented flutists from beginner to professional levels. Alhelí’s students have won annual awards in national and international festivals worldwide, and many already enjoy fruitful teaching and performing careers. Miss Pimienta is a passionate advocate for new music and she serves as a spokesperson and panel moderator for international conferences and non-profit organizations such as Global Toronto in Canada and the NFA in the United States of America. Alhelí earned a partial Instrumental Performer degree from the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey, a Bachelor's and a Master's degree from the University of Idaho, an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School of Music, and has completed four years of Doctoral Studies at the University of Toronto. She is a proud International Yamaha Artist and performs on an 18K handmade gold flute. She lives in Toronto with her husband, Adrian Kostic and her two dogs, Samba and Tango.