MEET THE ITHACA COLLEGE COLLABORATIVE PIANISTS

Expand each section below to find out more about our pianists

Ms. Darling graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Music Education. She has an extensive repertoire of vocal music and has collaborated with vocalists and instrumentalist for many years. 

Tyler Hayford received a B.M. and M.M. in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music. His collaborative repertoire covers a wide range of instrumental and vocal works in all styles, but he also specializes in sight-reading and improvisation. 

Travis Knapp graduated as a piano major (BMO) from Ithaca College in 2007, and is available for accompanying voice students. His focus is in musical theater, jazz, and other popular styles, in addition to the classical repertoire. He studied collaborative piano at IC with Charis Dimaras & Carol McAmis, as well as jazz with Steve Brown, and he is an accomplished folk singer-songwriter.

Available to accompany vocal students.

Russell Posegate holds a B.M. in Music Education and a M.M. in Piano Performance from Ithaca College, where he was a winner of the annual concerto competition. He has been a performer and teacher in the Ithaca, NY area since 1995.

Currently, Russell teaches music theory, aural skills, and music history atIthacaCollege.He is also a freelance performer of classical music as well asa member of several localrock bands where he sings, writes, and plays bass and keys.Russell lives in downtown Ithaca where he maintains a private studio teaching piano to students of all ages and abilities.http://www.russellposegate.com

Pianist Ryan Reilly holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from the Juilliard School, and a Master Soliste from the Haute École de Musique de Genève. Having concertizedthroughout the United States, France, Spain and Switzerland, Reilly's accolades include the first prize, audience prize and best performance of a Spanish composer at the 2017 Frechilla-ZuolagaInternational Piano Competition in Valladolid, Spain, and the Prix Georges Filipenetti. Recent performances include appearances with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Castilla y Leon, the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre of the HEM, and at the Gamper New Music Festival (Bowdoin International Music Festival). Having studied with Julian Martin, Dominique Weber and Aniko Szokody, Ryan recently completed his Doctorate at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University under the tutelage of Leon Fleisher.

COLLABORATIVE PIANIST YOUNG ARTIST APPRENTICE

Please join us in warmly welcoming our 2024-2025 Collaborative Piano Young Artist Apprentice, Alexei Aceto! Alexei, an alum of Ithaca College (B.M. Piano Performance '21), is an experienced pianist and will be playing in classes, ensembles, lessons, rehearsals, and featured in various performances across the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. Alexei may also be requested for freelance accompanying as his availability permits. 

You can learn more about the program here: https://www.ithaca.edu/collaborative-piano-young-artist-apprentice-program

Alexei Aceto

Alexei Aceto

Alexei Aceto

Forging a reputation for his “passion, imagination, and utter commitment”, pianist Alexei Aceto made his professional debut in 2017 as featured recitalist for Classical Pianists of the Future’s 10th anniversary season. He has since enjoyed a continued relationship with PBS affiliate WSKG’s “Classical Expressions” TV/Radio program, on which he has appeared as performer, host, and co-producer. Alexei has given recitals throughout the Central New York region, his performances featured in concert seasons of the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, Syracuse’s Civic Morning Musicals organization, and the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra. His performances gained nationwide recognition in 2022 after airing repeatedly on NPR’s Performance Today with host Fred Child.

Mentored by Charis Dimaras at Ithaca College, Alexei earned his Bachelor’s in Piano Performance in 2021, graduating summa cum laude and a member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. In May 2024, Alexei completed his Master’s degree at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he held the position of Associate Instructor in Piano while studying with Arnaldo Cohen.

As recipients of the Steinway Series Brancaleoni Guest Artist Award at the 2023 Brancaleoni International Music Festival in Italy, Alexei and violinist Gabriel Art Mendoza performed a program of sonatas for violin and piano at University of South Florida for its 2023-24 Steinway Guest Artist Series. An avid instrumental and vocal chamber music collaborator, Alexei’s Spring 2024 recitals showcased his versatility with programs of solo piano, violin-piano duo, piano trio, and art song.

Alexei has appeared as soloist with renowned conductors Marius Stravinsky, Grant Cooper, Toshiyuki Shimada, Rossen Milanov, and Octavio Más-Arocas, and ensembles such as the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, and Virtuosi Brunenses in Perugia, Italy. Winner of the 2019 and 2020 Ithaca College Concerto Competition, Alexei was invited post-graduation to perform Chopin’s Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante, Op. 22 in two concerts with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra. A returning participant at the Chautauqua Institution Piano Program, Alexei was a finalist in the 2021 Chautauqua Institution Piano Competition and 2024 Sigma Alpha Iota Concerto Competition.

Alexei draws much of his inspiration from literature and the natural areas of Ithaca, NY, where he likes to take walks with his boisterous Irish wolfhound.
 

ADDITIONAL COLLABORATIVE PIANIST RESOURCES

COURSES

Senior Voice Performance Majors should enroll in MUMC 47301 - Required Senior Voice Recital. This is a course that meets one hour a week with a vocal coach. For more information, contact Dr. Chris Zemliauskas (czemliauskas@ithaca.edu).

For students interested in individual coaching with their collaborative partner, we offer the course MUEN 31800 - Piano/Vocal Duos. For more information, contact Dr. Charis Dimaras (cdimaras@ithaca.edu).

For students interested in individual coaching with their collaborative partner, we offer the course MUEN 31700 - Piano/Instrumental Duos. For more information, contact Dr. Charis Dimaras (cdimaras@ithaca.edu).

FREELANCE PIANISTS

In addition to the resources provided by Ithaca College, there are many collaborative artists available for hire. Please contact your private teacher for recommended names and contact information.