Ralph Votapek

Among the primary “young” American pianists in the 1960s, Ralph Votapek gained the first Van Cliburn Competition in 1962 and continued to create numerous acclaimed appearances at Carnegie Hall and with the main orchestras of Chicago (16 times!), Philadelphia, NY, Pittsburgh, LA, London, St. Petersburg, Lisbon, and many more. He has provided countless recitals throughout the world, aswell, and has made an appearance in chamber concerts with such ensembles as the Juilliard, ” NEW WORLD “, and Great Arts quartets. As though this weren’t more than enough, Votapek has frequently made an appearance in duo-piano and four-hand recitals along with his wife Albertine. And in addition, Votapek’s repertory is normally vast, consuming functions by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Debussy, Ravel, Prokofiev, Ginastera, Gershwin, Gemstone, and modern composers like Kent Kennan and Wayne Willey. He offers made several recordings over time for such brands as Ivory Classics, Decca, and Blue Griffin. Ralph Votapek was created in Milwaukee, WI, in 1939. From age group nine he researched in the Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Conservatory and had later on research at Northwestern College or university, as well as the Manhattan and Juilliard universities of music. Among his educators were Man Mombaerts (Northwestern), Robert Goldsand (Manhattan), Rosina Lhevinne and Nadia Reisenberg (Juilliard), and Rudolf Serkin. Votapek was presented with the Naumberg Honor in 1959, which afforded him an effective debut recital at New York’s City Hall. Pursuing his Cliburn triumph in 1962, Votapek authorized agreements with RCA and iconic impresario Sol Hurok, and debuted at Carnegie Hall with great achievement. In 1966 Votapek released his to begin many South American trips. Certainly, from about 1980 he offers made bi-yearly trips of the continent, with several acclaimed looks in Buenos Aires (Digestive tract Theater), Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and additional major towns there. In 1979 Votapek made an appearance on Arthur Fiedler’s last Boston Pops documenting, carrying out Gershwin’s Second Rhapsody, the so-named “Rhapsody in Rivets,” released on Decca (reissued in 2007 on DG). While Votapek continued to be energetic on all fronts, his status started fading from about the 1980s. He helped revive his profession when he released some recordings for the Ivory Classics label, using the 1998 launch of 20th Hundred years Masterpieces, a Compact disc of solo functions by Ginastera, Poulenc, Szymanowski, and Piazzolla. His acclaimed 2010 disk of Schubert sonatas for the Blue Griffin label offers further recorded his apparently undiminished skill. Votapek is teacher emeritus of piano at Michigan Condition School, where he was artist-in-residence for 36 years.