Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Fernando Grimaldo

MALIBU, CA – September 3, 2024 – Pepperdine alumnus Fernando Grimaldo (’18) returns for a Spanish and English recital at Raitt Recital Hall on Pepperdine University’s Malibu campus on Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m. His program “Meditaciónes de Fe” (Meditations in Faith) features work by Esteban Salas, Manuel Ponce, and Lin Manuel-Miranda. 

“‘Meditaciones de Fe’ incorporates the religious music from my childhood while blending the classical pedagogy I've received at Pepperdine and in my career,” says Grimaldo, “This program celebrates my Mexican heritage through sacred and religious popular songs spanning from early Baroque Mexican composers to Lin-Manuel Miranda. Returning to Raitt Recital Hall as a professional singer is a dream, and I cannot wait to share this wonderful, yet not as well-known, repertoire."

The authentic and unique program for Grimaldo’s performance will include “Tú mi Dios entre pajas” by Esteban Salas, “Como glorias el fuego” by Manuel de Samaya, “Un día a la vez” by Manuel Bonilla, “Atención–Alabanza–Everything I Know” from “In the Heights” by Lin-Manuel Miranda and many more moving pieces. Grimaldo will be accompanied by pianist Nicholas Roehler for his Pepperdine performance. 

“The program is structured to represent both parts of the musician within me,” says Grimaldo, “The first half maintains a more traditional, classical format, while the second half continues to tell a story of my childhood within the church and the values that have become passed down in my community.” 

Fernando Grimaldo is a bass-baritone from Houston, Texas. He received his B.A. in applied music at Pepperdine University and his M.M. in voice performance from the University of Michigan. Grimaldo has toured twice with HGO Community and Learning’s Opera To Go, most recently in “Monkey and Francine in the City of Tigers” where he played Monkey King, Crocodile and Lady Tiger. He recently had his role debut of Colline in “La Boheme” at the Bay View Music Festival. Previous credits include Leporello in “Don Giovanni,” Pirate King in “Pirates of Penzance,” Melisso in “Alcina,” Maximillian in “Candide,” Benoit and Alcindoro in “La Boheme,” Schanaurd in “La Boheme,” John Brooke in “Little Women,” Dr. Falke in “Die Fledermaus,” Pandolfe in “Cendrillon,” and Papageno in “The Magic Flute.” In addition to his operatic roles, he has been featured in both concert and musical theatre roles such as Pontious Pilate in “St. John’s Passion” and Bernardo in “West Side Story Suite” as well as roles in “South Pacific” and “Big Fish” in Malibu, California. 

Grimaldo’s current areas of interest include the study and exposure of classical music in traditionally underrepresented communities, and the impact of Mexican and Spanish folk music to opera and art song. Having living grandparents that immigrated from Mexico, he presents music in Spanish as a love letter to them. His mission is to continue the proliferation of Latin American music in the classical diaspora.

Tickets are available now and are priced at $33 for the public. Price includes ticket fees. Discounted tickets are available for groups, Military, Wave Associates, and Pepperdine faculty, staff, students, and alumni. To purchase tickets, call the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts box office at (310) 506-4522 or visit the Fernando Grimaldo event page.

 

About the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts

Delighting more than 50,000 patrons and participants annually with live performances, art exhibitions, and local outreach opportunities, the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts serves as a hub for the arts on Pepperdine University’s Malibu campus, uniquely linking professional guest artists with Pepperdine students as well as patrons from surrounding Southern California communities. Three performance spaces, including the 450-seat Smothers Theatre, the 124-seat Raitt Recital Hall, and the “black box” Lindhurst Theatre, host hundreds of performances, rehearsals, and master classes throughout the year. The Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, a dynamic, two-story exhibition space, showcases a revolving selection of modern and contemporary art with a focus on art made in California.

 

Event Details

WHAT: Fernando Grimaldo, bass-baritone
WHEN: Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA
TICKETS: (310) 506-4522 or Fernando Grimaldo event page
PRICES: $33 for the public. Price includes ticket fees. Discounted tickets are available for groups, Military, Wave Associates, and Pepperdine faculty, staff, students, and alumni. 

 

Photos

Download a photo of Fernando Grimaldo 

 

Media Contact 

Jessica Burdzinski
Marketing and Publicity Manager
jessica.burdzinski@pepperdine.edu
310.506.4055