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Roberta Rust: Pianist Extraordinaire Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Roberta Rust made her debut at Carnegie Recital Hall in 1982, and was enthusiastically received by critics and audiences alike. New York Times reviewer Tim Page described her as "a powerhouse of a pianist... an intelligent, sensitive performer". Roberta has received awards from the National Society of Arts and Letters, Houston Symphony Society, Five Towns Music, Art Foundation and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She studied at Peabody Conservatory, the "Moazarteum" in Salzburg, and graduated from the University of Texas. Charles Timbrell of Fanfare magazine wrote of her recent Centaur Records CD, Devoted to Debussy. "She characterizes music in a personal way... has an arsenal of touches. A beautiful record, proving she's a first rate Debussy player." Roberta says "My first recording release, Three American Premieres & Prokofieff Sonanata No. 6 was on Protone Records. The pressure of the recording process is very intense, I loved it and made sure to be extremely well prepared for the sessions, which were held in Studio A at RCA in NYC. It was so a memorable with its acoustically vibrant wood paneling, the studio was also used by Arthur Rubinstein for many recordings. Subsequently, I have recorded three more CDs for Centaur Records, Devoted to Debussy, Franz Joseph Haydn and Piano Music of Villa-Lobos." David Doose of the NY Tribune said, "Rust's solo piano recital... holds promise of "We went back up to South Dakota to visit family almost every summer to ride grandfather Pat's horses on the ranch. I have never forgotten it and am so grateful to have had that connection. I loved the desolate nature of the land and buttes up there." Roberta, in 1972 at age 16, won a concerto competition whilst appearing with the Houston Symphony as a soloist. Following this she gave concerts in the US and Europe. She came to NYC to earn a Masters of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Of that time raising Native American music into new and undiscovered dimensions." Roberta's Native American background comes though her mother, Wilma Lorraine Lebeau Rust. Her grandmother was Ida Mae Swift Bird and her grandfather was Patrick LeBeau. Both grandparents were of mixed Sioux and French blood from an area of the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation near the Missouri River called LeBeau, which is now under water after the damming of the Missouri. Her grandfather Patrick used to play the violin (fiddle) by ear and an uncle played guitar. she remembers, "I was attracted to the city because it's a major musical, cultural and intellectual center. I miss it every day since leaving. I especially miss the people of New York. " Roberta now resides with her husband Phillip Evans in Boynton, Florida where she completed a doctorate at the University of Miami in 1991. But of NYC she stated, "I love life and work in Florida but there is nothing like New York. I do return frequently to visit and attend cultural events and concerts. There is no greater city in the world and I have traveled quite a lot." Roberta says, "At age five, my parents began to give me piano lessons. The teacher felt I was very gifted and often gave me two and three lessons a week. I studied with her until age eleven when she passed away. The piano my parents had was an old-fashion upright, brought down to Houston, Texas from South Dakota by an aunt. I also played cello for about ten years and played guitar in garage bands during my teenage years." Recalling her first time on stage, she says, "I played in a typical recital , probably age five or six, in an upscale home in Houston. My first stage recital was in high school. I remember liking the atmosphere backstage, with curtains, ropes and the multi-colored stage lighting. It was magical. My 18 month old baby sister, Mary, yelled out my nickname when I came on stage, "Go Boo-Boo, (my nickname) go!" My first professional performance, at 16, with Houston Symphony, surprised me with the sound of the orchestra, which as soloist one doesn't hear the same way as when sitting in public seats. The sound passes over the soloist. I could hear only players sitting closest to me. The sensation was nothing like I had expected as a listener. Once in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, back in the late 80's I was to play the Rachmaninoff Second Concerto with the orchestra there and just before the concert was to begin all power was lost in the National Theatre. While they tried to get the lights back on, I went to the stage and played though some solo pieces with an usher using his flashlight to illuminate the keyboard. It was quite an experience playing in that completely packed, about 2,000 people, hall in total darkness. At one point during this impromptu recital, I told the audience in Spanish 'Especialmente para esta noche' and then proceeded to play Claude Debussy's beloved Clair de lune (Moonlight). It brought down the house. The next day all the newspapers went wild with the story and also were enthusiastic about my Native American ancestry. Unfortunately, the lights never came back up that evening, but a year later I was invited back to play with the orchestra and the electric company sponsored the concert. I am a great believer in the concept of 'power of place'. I feel wherever we find ourselves, the place influences us strongly. Artists and musicians need to be open to surroundings, atmosphere, and environment to effectively create or re-create art/music with the deepest meaning for that moment in time." Roberta now serves as Artist Faculty- Piano, Professor and Head of the Piano Department at the Conservatory of Music at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Her students have been awarded top prizes or have been finalists in many prestigious competitions. "I have a studio of young pianists studying with me from all over the world. The process of recruiting, training and postgrad work connects me to all parts of the world. Passing on the tradition is the primary focus of my artistic activity. It is very gratifying work. Music can take people to a special place in their imagination and help transcend life's literal experience. There is a certain excitement, buzz, and spirit at a concert that is communicative that I like to be a part of creating. For me, music is a metaphor; it is eternal and endless in possibilities. My work with music is definitely spiritual, I would describe my religion now as that of an aesthetic spiritualist—devout believer in art and its power and beauty. I advise the young to seek internal versus external inspiration and rewards. The road is always difficult and most times one's work is not recognized or appreciated, so doing it for intrinsic reasons serves as the best motivations and guides. In his autobiography, Constantin Stanislavski's advice was: 'Focus on the art in themselves, not themselves in the arts.'" Ms. Rust, who has served as Artistic Ambassador for the United States, reflects that in the artistic field of classical piano, the art has been influenced mostly by European tradition. She said, "Some times non-European musicians –American, Asian, or others can experience a feeling of connection to European traditions as primarily one of colonial extension. Because of my Sioux ancestry, I do not feel the colonial connection very strongly. I feel a confidence in my interpretive perspective of western classical music, including the majority of its European contributions that is not adversely affected by an immigrant mentality. This is a positive influence of being connected to traditional Native existence." She has been the recipient of a major grant from the National Endowment of the Arts and the International Concours de Fortepiano in Paris. New York Times wrote, "Roberta Rust combines an almost frightening fervor and intensity with impeccable technique and Spartan control." When asked what she felt was the greatest honor she has received Robert replied, "When members of an audience tell me after a concert that they were deeply moved, perhaps brought to tears or lifted with joy—this has been the greatest honor."
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