The Unalaska City High School Auditorium was filled almost to capacity on Sunday, May 15, 2016 for the Spring Piano Recital for the students of Lynda Lybeck-Robinson with guest students of Ethan Mahoney. Twenty six well prepared young pianists were present, joined by their family, friends, and community members for an spring event that has become, for many, an Unalaska spring tradition.
Ethan Mahoney, graduating senior student of Lybeck-Robinson, began the program by introducing his 8 piano students, ranging in age from 6 to 14. The pieces ranged from contemporary to classical. The final number in his set featured Ethan in duet with 9 year old student Sabrien Palmer, playing a piece that he had composed as a young child, called Viking Raid, for which Lybeck-Robinson wrote the accompaniment.
The concert continued with 18 of Lybeck-Robinson’s students, ranging in age from 8 to 18. While each spring is traditionally a duet and “student choice” theme, this year program presented many solo and duet pieces composed in the 20th century genre. Composers such as Samuel Barber, Heitor Villa Lobos, Astor Piazzola, and Sergei Slonimsky were featured, and several students played pieces composed by Lybeck-Robinson. Mahoney finished the program with a piece arranged especially for him by Lybeck-Robinson, “Fantasy IX-Eternal Harvest” by Nobuo Uematsu.
At the end of the program awards were presented. The Most Improved awards were given to Jayvee Villafuerte for grades K-5 and JadreyReynon and Lily Mahoney for grades 6-12. Syney Mahoney receiveed the Most Inspirational award and Caitlin Rowland was honored as Composer of the Year.
The Hearts and Hands Project presented it’s annual “Music Mentor” Scholarship to Ethan Mahoney, awarding him $1000. The scholarship has been awarded since 2009, honoring youth who have shown exemplary commitment to their instrument and to the community of Unalaska through musical community service and music mentoring. This award is available each year to Unalaska seniors who apply for scholarship.
Recitals are held each December and May. Lybeck-Robinson is a a composer and pianist who established the piano program for the city of Unalaska in 1996. She continues to compose for Hal Leonard Publishing Company, (HL Student Piano Library) and teaches beginning to early advanced piano in the Music Room at PCR, and at her home. For more information on the Hearts and Hands Project Non-Profit Organization contact Lynda Lybeck-Robinson at 581-1542.
Professionally filmed and produced DVDs of each recital are available at Channel 8 TV Unalaska. For more information, call 907-581-1888.