For over thirty-five years, Richard Raub has played an influential part in the musical life of Philadelphia and beyond as pianist, vocal coach and conductor.
Mr. Raub’s piano studies with Benjamin Whitten at West Chester University and with Martin Katz in New York prepared him well for the demands of accompanying singers and playing orchestral reductions. He has been fortunate to collaborate with AVA alumni for their recital debuts: Latonia Moore and Stuart Neill (Opera Orchestra of New York, Lincoln Center), Wanda Brister (Carnegie Hall), John Packard (Ravinia Festival, Chicago), Richard Troxell (Salem College and Penn State University), Stephen Costello (The University of the Arts Graduation), and Angela Meade (Astral Artists).
With AVA, he has conducted Il barbiere di Siviglia, Così fan tutte, Dido and Aeneas, La favorite, Die Fledermaus, Hansel and Gretel, L’italiana in Algeri, Don Pasquale, Le villi and in 2010, the world-premiere of Margaret Garwood’s The Scarlet Letter at the Merriam Theater.
For over thirty-five years, Mr. Raub has served as the official pianist for The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Philadelphia District, as well as for the Mid-Atlantic Regionals held at The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC. He has also been the pianist for The Voice Foundation’s concerts and master classes for over twenty years; in 2010, he was presented with the prestigious V.E.R.A. Award for his contribution to the field of vocal communication.