Young pianist from Alagoas will represent the state at the Santa Cecília Festival, in Portugal At 11 years old, Alagoas pianist Bento Camelo is already collecting titles in national competitions and has now reached a new milestone in his career. The young man leaves for Portugal, where he will represent Brazil at the Santa Cecília Piano Festival, an international competition that brings together children and teenagers from different countries between this Tuesday (14) and Saturday (18), in the city of Porto. ?Join the g1 Alagoas channel It will be Bento's first performance outside the country. The invitation came after the musician's prominence at the 43rd Curitiba Music Workshop, where he was a finalist for the Margarita Pericás Sansone Award and caught the attention of classical music experts. In the competition, the native of Alagoas will present three pieces, including a frevo, taking a bit of Brazilian music to the international stage. Passion for the piano at age 5 Bento's relationship with the piano began spontaneously, at age 5. While his sister took music lessons, he watched everything closely and tried to reproduce the songs himself. "My sister took classes and got a piano. I listened and then played the songs she learned. The teacher realized that I was evolving on my own", said the boy in an interview with TV Asa Branca. Since then, dedication has become routine. During class time, Bento studies for around an hour and a half a day. On vacation, the pace increases to approximately two and a half hours a day. Bento Camelo, from Maceió, competes in the Santa Cecília Piano Festival, in the city of Porto, in Portugal. Reproduction/Social media "The competition is just one part" Despite the expectations for the competition, Bento says that the biggest motivation is to live an unprecedented experience and meet musicians from different countries. "I'll be able to talk to pianists from around the world. It's an immense joy. The objective is to celebrate music. The competition is just part of this learning process. I'm very happy to participate in this great festival." Before the trip, the last rehearsals took place under the watchful eye of pianist Selma Britto, one of the main references in classical music in Alagoas and a supporter of the young man's career. For her, Bento's difference is in his discipline. "He is a super talent. He studies a lot, likes to improve himself and has a rare dedication for his age. He takes care of technique, interpretation and music as a whole. This will lead him to become one of the great pianists." The student reciprocated the recognition: "Getting to play alongside her is a great joy. She offers me the piano to study, make recordings and has helped me a lot on this journey."