{{Short description|American pianist}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Ralph Votapek | background = pianist | birth_name = Ralph James Votapek
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|03|20}} | birth_place = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. | education = Northwestern University<br>Juilliard School | occupation = Pianist | genre = Classical music }}
'''Ralph James Votapek''' (born March 20, 1939) is an American pianist.<ref name="birthdate">{{cite web|url=https://lccn.loc.gov/n81082499 |title=Votapek, Ralph|date= |accessdate=2024-01-20}}</ref> He won the First Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1962, along with the [https://cliburn.org/?performer=1962-cliburn-competition inaugural competition's First Place prize] of US $10,000. He was the Jury Chairman of the eighth Van Cliburn competition in 2022.
== Biography == Votapek was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1939.<ref name="allmusic" /> At the age of nine, he began studying music at the Wisconsin Conservatory in Milwaukee. He later studied at Northwestern University under Gui Mombaerts and at the Juilliard School in New York. Votapek was awarded the Naumburg Award in 1959, and performed his debut recital at New York's Town Hall. After winning the First Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1962, Votapek signed contracts with RCA and Sol Hurok, and made his debut at Carnegie Hall.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Cummings |first=Robert |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ralph-votapek-q59137/biography |title=Ralph Votapek |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2011-10-25}}</ref>
Votapek was a professor of piano and Artist in Residence at the Michigan State University College of Music, and served there for 36 years before retiring in 2004.<ref name="college">{{cite web|url=https://www.music.msu.edu/faculty/profile/ralph |title=Ralph Votapek | College of Music | Michigan State University |publisher=People.music.msu.edu |date= |accessdate=2011-10-25}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{Official website|http://www.ralphvotapek.com}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Votapek, Ralph}} Category:1939 births Category:Living people Category:American male classical pianists Category:Michigan State University faculty Category:Musicians from Milwaukee Category:Prize-winners of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Category:20th-century American pianists Category:Classical musicians from Wisconsin Category:21st-century American classical pianists Category:21st-century American male pianists Category:20th-century American male pianists