Rebecca Penneys
Email: rpenneys@usf.edu
Phone: (585) 330-0259
American pianist Rebecca Penneys is a recitalist, chamber musician, orchestral soloist,
educator and adjudicator. For over six decades her passionate and insightful performances
have held audiences spellbound. Hailed as a pianist of prodigious talent, she possesses
a daredevil technique, the sort charismatic stage presence that demands attention,
and an interpretive gift that make her performances into musical revelations.
Rebecca has concertized throughout all the continents north of Antarctica and she
has
represented the United States on United States Information Service State Department
Cultural tours. Rebecca鈥檚 playing leaves an indelible impression. Her current CD鈥檚
and
DVD鈥檚 on Naxos, Fleur De Son Classics and Centaur Records have received worldwide
acclaim and are eloquent testimonies of a major artist of intelligence, originality,
massive technique and bravura temperament. American Record Guide says: 鈥淧enneys offers
an extraordinary collection of performances displaying an astonishing control over
piano sound. It is absolutely gorgeous and full of unimaginable colors. She sings
through the instrument, seemingly without effort. Her playing is simply revelatory鈥�.
Born in Los Angeles, Rebecca made her recital debut at the age of nine and performed
as
soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra when she was eleven. At seventeen,
after winning several young artist competitions in the United States, she was awarded
the
unprecedented Special Critics' Prize, created in her honor, at the Seventh International
Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland. Critics there said: "A sensational effect
was created by the playing of Rebecca Penneys. She is a genius of the piano.鈥�
Subsequently, she won the Most Outstanding Musician Prize at the Fifth Vianna Da
Motta International Piano Competition (Portugal) and was Top Prizewinner in the Second
Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition (Spain). She made her New York Debut
in Alice Tully Hall in 1972, and in 1974 she founded the acclaimed New Arts Trio,
which
won the prestigious Naumburg Award for Chamber Music in New York City on two
separate occasions. The Trio was Trio-in-Residence at the Chautauqua Institution from
1978-2012.
A renowned Steinway Artist, Rebecca is a popular guest artist, keynote speaker and
celebrated teacher. She has received extensive recognition for her ability to teach
keyboard technique (Motion and Emotion) that allows pianists to achieve individual
performance goals without physical strain or injury. In 2013, Rebecca launched the
non-profit Rebecca Penneys Friends of Piano to support the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival
and RPPF-Mini. Both events, held at USF, are for collegiate pianists and are tuition
free.
Rebecca is currently Professor Emerita of Piano at Eastman School of Music. She is
Artist-in-Residence at St. Petersburg College where she directs the St Petersburg
College
Piano Series. She also holds a courtesy position as Steinway-Artist-in-Residence at
the
最新天美传媒, Tampa. The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle notes, 鈥淚n
an
age of pianistic sameness, Penneys shines as a true original.鈥� Rebecca鈥檚 teachers
included Aube Tzerko, Leonard Stein, Rosina Lhevinne, Artur Rubinstein, Menahem
Pressler, Gyorgy Sebok, Janos Starker, Josef Gingold, and Iannis Xenakis. Learn more
at
&