Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee, born in Somerville, Massachusetts, February 9,
1938, is a first generation Armenian-American whose father was a survivor of
the genocide, and much of her music reflects a deep-rooted ethnic background.
The strong influences of her first spoken language, Armenian, and of the folk
music in the home where she grew up, are important elements in her musical
language. Her early love for music was sparked by her mother, a talented
violinist.
Dianne began her musical training as a pianist in Boston with Antoine Louis
Moeldner, who studied with two of Leschetitzky’s most illustrious pupils,
Helen Hopekirk and Paderewski. The Moeldner-Hopekirk connection would
have particular impact: Moeldner had been a teaching assistant to Ossip
Gabrilovich, while Helen Hopekirk was herself a highly respected composer
and pianist, and served as an early role model for Goolkasian Rahbee. The
influence of this distinguished lineage was a powerful inspiration. She
continued her studies at Juilliard as a piano major and at Mozarteum in
Salzburg, Austria studying chamber music with Enrico Mainardi. In later
years, Dianne studied piano privately with David Saperton in New York and

Lily Dumont, Russell Sherman, and Veronica Jochum in Boston. As a self-
taught composer, she began writing pieces for her piano students and received

encouragement to continue this work from Constance Keene and David
Saperton.
At age 40, Goolkasian Rahbee began concentrating on composing, and has
since produced a large body of works for piano solo, orchestra, instrumental
ensembles, percussion, and voice. Her music is performed internationally, and
many large festivals have featured her works in the U.S. and abroad.