Student Profile

STUDENT PROFILE

Alyssa Gabrilovich and WCU Assistant Professor of Piano Dr. Igor Resnianski

Alyssa Gabrilovich:
Hitting All the Right Notes

Wells School of Music student Alyssa Gabrilovich ’28 made West Chester University proud when she was selected as one of only 23 participants nationwide to compete in the prestigious 11th National Chopin Piano Competition, held in January in Miami, FL.

Gabrilovich, a 19-year-old first-year piano performance major, first took the stage with a local symphony orchestra at just nine years old. She began studying under WCU Assistant Professor of Piano Dr. Igor Resnianski at the age of seven. Resnianski later guided Gabrilovich to West Chester University.

“To even be selected for this competition is an incredible achievement,” says Resnianski. “Alyssa is the first WCU student to be chosen for this competition.”

Competing at this level requires a strict practice schedule, and Gabrilovich often devotes seven to eight hours a day on weekends and four to six hours on weekdays.

“I don’t like practicing, but I love being able to perform,” Gabrilovich admits. “I enjoy creating with music.”

The National Chopin Piano Competition, held every five years, is closely tied to the renowned Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland. The winner receives $100,000 and automatic entry into the Warsaw competition. Many of the competitors hail from music schools like Juilliard, Curtis Institute of Music, and the New England Conservatory of Music, and this year’s participants ranged in age from 15 to 28 years old.

“I was shocked but really happy to be accepted,” says Gabrilovich. “Being among performers of this caliber is incredibly motivating.

“Chopin is my favorite composer,” she adds. “I love the variety and beautiful melodies in his music. This competition helped me grow as an artist. I learned how to prepare, working through each section with attention to detail. Professor Resnianski has been invaluable in that process.”

Looking ahead, Gabrilovich hopes someday to qualify for the Warsaw Chopin competition. She also envisions a future as a university piano professor, balancing teaching with performance, as she carefully considers the demands of a fulltime concert career.

With her passion and perseverance, Gabrilovich continues to hit all the right notes, inspiring her classmates, professors, and members of the community with her talent.