Awilda Villarini

Awilda M. Villarini-Garcia (born 6 February 1940) is a Puerto Rican composer and pianist who publishes and performs under the name "Awilda Villarini."

Villarini was born in Patillas. Her first piano teacher was her mother, who was a church organist. She went on to earn a B. Mus. (1961) from Peabody Conservatory and a M. Mus. (1973) from the Juilliard School. Grants from the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture enabled Villarini to study piano in Paris and Vienna. She received a Ford Foundation scholarship for a Ph.D. from New York University in 1979. Villarini's teachers included Claus Adam, Jean Marie Darre, Carmelina Figureoa, Alexander Gorodnitzky, William Kroll, Eugene List, Walter Panhofer, and Dieter Weber.

Villarini received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1981.

Villarini's compositions include:

Chamber

Three Fantastic Pieces (clarinet and piano)

Orchestra

Cinquillo Dramatico Concerto (orchestra and piano) Legend of the Indian Suite Portoricinses (also orchestrated) Ten Preludes

Vocal

"Dialogue" (text by Pat Parker) Four Songs Two Love Songs (texts by Julia de Burgos and Pablo Neruda)