Who's Who at the Center for Young Musicians: Ingrid Beute

Ingrid Beute

A new school year will mean new faces at the Center for Young Musicians! We are excited to announce that new teachers for piano, cello and guitar will be joining the CYM family, bringing unique experiences and solid training in music education. And as always, we happily look forward to greeting new students and their families.

To help everyone get to know each other a little better, we’ll be posting short bios on all the CYM teachers and staff.  Next in line is piano teacher Ingrid Beute, who joined CYM as a faculty member in 2011.

South African born Ingrid Beute started her concert career at the age of 5, when she had her debut with the South African National Symphony Orchestra. By the age of 18 Ingrid totaled over 30 concerto performances with major orchestras in RSA, among which included a performance under the baton of world renowned Swiss conductor, Mathias Bamert. She studied piano with Pauline Nossel from an early age until the completion of the Graduate Artist Diploma at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. She later completed the Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music.

Ingrid won first prize in the National South African Broadcasting Ensemble Competition, the Port Elizabeth Young Musicians Competition and the National ATKV Prelude Competition. On an international level, she won the prize for best South African pianist in the 1990 UNISA international Piano Competition and during the same year won overall Third place at the Marsala International Piano Competition in Italy. She moved on to performing as chamber pianist and soloist in Portugal, Italy, South Africa, Bophuthatswana and later on, the US.

Most recently, Ingrid performed as celesta and keyboard player for the Butler Symphony Orchestra. She was invited to conduct a master class and guest artist performance for Westminster College, PA, and also performed as concerto soloist with the Westminster Symphony Orchestra in New Wilmington.

Ingrid has also enjoyed a career in education. Among her positions include Fine Arts Coordinator and teacher at Colegio Internacional de Carabobo in Venezuela, piano instructor, chamber coach and artist in residence at the Luzerne summer Music Festival, New York, and instrumental music teacher at Redhill School, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Ingrid currently performs as a freelance pianist in the Greater Pittsburgh area. She resides in Slippery Rock with her husband Manuel Valera, who works as Assistant Professor in Physics at the University of Slippery Rock, and their son Oliver. 

This school year, Ms. Ingrid will teach piano, Chamber Music and Literacy classes, as well as accompanying CYM performers on the piano.

 

Q & A with CYM:

CYM: What is your favorite piece of music to play and/or favorite composer?

Ms. Ingrid: Robert Schumann - Davidsbundlertanze

The Davidsbundlertanze has so many different stories to tell, and the strong contrasts in the characters; Eusebius, Florestan and Rara is wonderful to play. Never a dull moment or a predictable phrase!

 

CYM: Do you play other instruments other than the instrument you teach/study?

Ms. Ingrid: I played the violin for 7 years, the clarinet for 15 years, others I play currently are alto, tenor, soprano and sopranino recorder, piano and organ for the Trinity Lutheran Church in Butler.

CYM: When and where do you listen to music for fun?

Ms. Ingrid: In the car, and I spend a lot of time in the car! Every trip has a different mood, from Bossa Nova, through Jazz, Classic Rock and of course Classical Music. My most memorable and daunting trip for that matter, was driving through a hazardous snowstorm 2 years ago at 3 miles per hour on a dark small side road in Butler county, listening to Tavener's Protecting Veil at top volume! It was a soundtrack to the moment!

 

CYM: If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be (and what would

you eat)?

Ms. Ingrid: Nelson Mandela OF COURSE!, and it would be a spicy lemon-grass ginger chicken Thai curry and a glass of South African chardonnay.

 

CYM: What are your favorite childhood books? 

Ms. Ingrid: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry, and also the Enid Blyton series: The Famous Five and The Secret Seven.