bio

Pianist Crystal Rivette grew up in Pasadena, California, and began her piano studies with her mother at age eight. Her formative primary teachers include Duane Funderburk, Roza Kostrzewska Yoder, Eteri Andjaparidze, and Antoinette Perry. She additionally performed in master classes with Vera Gornostayeva, Dina Joffe, Bronisława Kawalla, Pavel Nersessian, Kalle Randalu, Yuri Sletsarev and Natalia Troull.

Ms. Rivette has been awarded top prizes in several California competitions, including the Peninsula International Festival, the Los Angeles Liszt Competition, the Southwestern Youth Music Festival, and has performed as a competition winner with numerous orchestras including the Brentwood-Westwood and La Mirada Symphony Orchestras. She was a semifinalist in the International Russian Music Competition in San Jose, California in 2003, and from 2006-2008, while at DePaul University, Ms. Rivette was an active member of the Steinway Artist Ensemble AmerKlavier. From 2008-2009 she served as Resident Life Director and Staff Accompanist in the Azusa Pacific University (APU) School of Music’s Study Abroad Program in Heidelberg, Germany.

Ms. Rivette served on the keyboard faculty at Azusa Pacific University from 2009-2023, culminating in a rank of Assistant Professor, teaching piano and an array of classes at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including keyboard literature, piano pedagogy, class piano, and graduate music history seminars. Additionally she served as Director of the Artist Certificate Program from 2013-2023, increasing enrollment and expanding program area offerings. In addition to her work at APU, Ms. Rivette served as the choir accompanist and service pianist at Grace Church of Glendora from 2009-2015 under Don Neufeld.

Ms. Rivette maintains an active performance and teaching schedule in the Los Angeles area. In March 2014 she premiered Reena Esmail’s piece Curiosity with the Pasadena Master Chorale, and appeared again with them in June 2015, premiering Esmail’s Earth Speaks.

Education

  • Doctor of Musical Arts, Piano Performance, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
  • Master of Music, Piano Performance, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois
  • Bachelor of Music, Piano Performance, Azusa Pacific University
  • Piano Performance Major and Honor Graduate, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts