Alice Rybak

Chair of the Keyboard Department
Instructor, BM, Piano
TRVH 432 | 303.871.6245
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Biography

Pianist Alice Rybak has had a distinguished career as both a solo and collaborative artist and as a teacher. She is Chair of the Keyboard Department, Director of the Accompanying Program and instructor of piano at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music. The winner of several prestigious competitions and awards, Ms. Rybak entered the Juilliard School at age seven, where she studied piano with Herbert Stessin. She has studied piano and chamber music with Menahem Pressler, Abbey Simon and Janos Starker at Indiana University's School of Music . Ms. Rybak has performed throughout the country, including performances with the Colorado Symphony, The Denver Brass, Amarillo Symphony and National Repertory Orchestras as well as appearances at New York 's Town Hall and the 92 nd Street Y. As the winner of the United States Information Agency's "Artistic Ambassador" competition she presented five weeks of concerts and master classes throughout India, Thailand and Malaysia and has also appeared at the Taipei Arts Festival. She has performed with a wide variety of musicians including violinists Rachel Barton, Dylana Jenson and Sergiu Schwartz and metropolitan opera mezzo-soprano Judith Christin.

Alice Rybak performs frequently with pianist Susan Grace as the acclaimed piano duo Quattro Mani. The Duo, formed in 1989, has gained international recognition with performances in Spain, Korea and many cities in the United States.  Their special interest in twentieth century repertoire has led to collaborations with such composers as George Crumb, Joan Tower, Tania Leon, Bernard Rands, Poul Ruders and Frederic Rzewski and to participation in contemporary music festivals throughout the USA, Latin America and Europe.

Ms. Rybak has also performed with the Denver Trio, the Colorado Chamber Players and is currently the pianist for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. She teaches at Indiana University's School of Music Summer Piano Academy and has also recorded for Crystal Records.  

Short Version

ALICE RYBAK

She is Chair of the Keyboard Department, Director of the Accompanying Program and instructor of piano at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music. The winner of several prestigious competitions and awards, Rybak entered the Juilliard School at age seven, where she studied piano with Herbert Stessin. She has studied piano and chamber music with Menahem Pressler, Abbey Simon, and Janos Starker at Indiana University 's School of Music . In demand as both soloist and collaborative artist, Rybak has performed throughout the country, including performances with the Colorado Symphony, Amarillo Symphony, and National Repertory Orchestras as well as appearances at New York 's Town Hall and the 92nd Street Y. As the winner of the United States Information Agency's 'Artistic Ambassador' competition, she presented five weeks of concerts and master classes throughout India , Thailand , and Malaysia and has also appeared at the Taipei Arts Festival.

She has performed with a wide variety of musicians including violinists Rachel Barton, Dylana Jenson and Sergiu Schwartz and Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Judith Christin. Ms. Rybak was a member of the Colorado Chamber Players for ten years and was also the pianist of the Denver Trio.  She teaches at Indiana University 's School of Music Summer Piano Academy and has also recorded for Crystal Records.

QUATTRO MANI

Pianists Susan Grace and Alice Rybak bring together two distinguished careers. Each has earned recognition as a soloist and chamber musician in the United States and abroad. Both artists share a special interest in the vast repertoire for two pianos and the unique collaboration involved in its performance. Quattro Mani, formed in 1989, has gained international recognition with performances in Spain , Korea and many cities in the United States.  Their special interest in twentieth century repertoire has led to collaborations with such composers as George Crumb, Joan Tower and Frederic Rzewski and to participation in contemporary music festivals throughout the USA and Europe .

Following the release of Quattro Mani's debut CD, A Game of Go, Fanfare wrote: "Grace and Rybak play all of this music with power and intelligence, shaping large expressive phrases. Quattro Mani's blistering performance forms the beating heart of an arresting recital." Quattro Mani's next CD - a recording of George Crumb's music for two pianos - was issued by Bridge Records, and immediately nominated as "Best Chamber Music CD of the Year" by the International Critics Committee of the Cannes Classic Awards. This CD received Fanfare's 'Critics Choice' and highest ratings from France 's Repertoire as well as from ClassicsToday.com. Speaking about Quattro Mani, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Crumb writes: "The duo piano team Quattro Mani is one of the very finest I have heard. Susan Grace and Alice Rybak are wonderful artists and their performances are both technically and musically superb."  Quattro Mani has been featured on two recent critically acclaimed discs: The Music of Poul Ruders, Vol. 4 (BRIDGE 9143) and Complete Crumb Edition, Vol. 8 (BRIDGE 9155) which was chosen as one of the top 10 CD's for 2004 by Amazon.com.  Their most recent disc is "Harmony for a New World," (INNOVA 603). Quattro Mani is on the International Roster of Steinway Artists.