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Historical Piano Concerts Series
About the Musicians

Rebecca Hartka

Rebecca Hartka, 'cello

Cellist Rebecca Hartka has concertized for over a decade in the United States, and in Italy, Cuba, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Hartka is committed to authentic and powerful performance that builds bridges. Her playing was described by the Hanoi Times as “magical and eloquent.”She collaborates primarily with pianist Barbara Lysakowski in Duo Déjà vu, and with guitarist Jose Lezcano with recent concerts at Saugerties Pro Musica; at the Frederick Historical Piano Concerts series; Bass Hall Concerts; Columbia University's Music at St. Paul’s series; the 1794 Meeting House Concert series; the French Cultural Center of Boston; and the Dweck Center, among others.

In 2014 she released her second CD, “Light & Shadow: Sonatas of Rachmaninov and Poulenc” with pianist Alys Terrien-Queen. The Boston Musical Intelligencer wrote, “they … take this rich Russian music to new heights”, stating further that their performance “ranks comfortably alongside several impressive readings by other major cellists.”Hartka released her debut CD "Folkfire" with pianist Azusa Komiyama in October 2010, receiving critical acclaim as well as radio play on both WFCR and WAMC Performance Place. The Daily Hampshire Gazette remarked of the CD that Hartka "emotes a passion worthy of a symphony orchestra" while the Greenfield Recorder praised her for having "a passion for precision that never imposes itself upon the music". She was the recipient of the 1993 Henriette Reiss Award for Outstanding Artistic Merit.

Rebecca Hartka completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in Cello Performance at Boston University College of Fine Arts in May 2007, where she was a four-year recipient of the Dean’s Scholar Award, and an elected member of Phi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honors Society. Hartka had also completed a Master’s degree in Music at BU CFA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Cello Performance at the Oberlin Conservatory and College. Hartka's teachers have included Leslie Parnas, Michael Reynolds, Rhonda Rider, Clive Greensmith, Andor Toth, Peter Rejto, Douglas Moore and Justin Kagan.

This is Dr. Hartka’s third performance on our concert series.

For the Duo Deja Vue concert schedule, photos and video, etc, please visit duodejavu2.com/ , and for Dr. Hartka's own appearance schedule, as well as the opportunity to listen to and purchase her CDs, and read a most interesting blog about her travels to Cuba, Mexico, Rome, and the backyard raspberry patch, you should also visit www.rebeccahartka.com .