Gabrielle (Gaby) Sipen, first year master’s student, took home first prize at the XIV International Chopin Competition in Hartford, Connecticut. The competition is open to pianists of any nationality. Sipen won in the “Professional” category, open to pianists of any age.
“There were many wonderful pianists there,” said Inna Faliks, professor of piano performance, “including a number from New York. It was a very competitive field. I’m very proud of Gaby.” In addition to entrants from New York City, the Professional Field also sported contestants from six different countries, including Indonesia, Russia, and China.
Gaby Sipen is a Los Angeles-born pianist and educator. She made her orchestral debut at the age of 12 with the Southwestern Youth Festival Orchestra, and has since performed in concert halls across North America and Europe. In addition to this recent victory, she has won the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition and numerous awards at the state and national level. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychobiology and works as a teaching assistant in the behavioral neuroscience department at UCLA and is a research assistant at USC’s Brain & Music Lab.
“I am passionate about music and neuroscience,” said Gabrielle. “I’m interested in understanding how people experience music, so I can help optimize musicians’ learning processes. I love being able to combine these passions in my work.”
Sipen’s first prize win at the XIV International Chopin Competition comes with a cash prize and invitations to perform both in the United States and in Poland.