Biography

Rebecca was born into a musical family in Cork, Ireland

Earliest studies were with Eleanor Malone at the Cork School of Music and with Mabel Swainson in Dublin.

Her interest in foreign languages contributed to her eagerness to study in Mainland Europe. In 2000 Rebecca was accepted as a student of Pavel Gililov at the Hochschule fur Musik, Cologne. During her studies there, she was awarded several prizes, including 2nd Prize at the International Piano Competition Citta Di Sulmona, Italy; the Concerto Prize in Cologne and the Belfast Classical Music Bursary. While studying on the Masters degree program at the Prague Academy of Performing Arts she won 1st Prize at the International Piano Competition Citta Di Sangemini, 3rd Prize at the International Piano Competition V. Belini and the Lyons Club Bursary in Cork, Ireland. She also was the recipient of the award for the best interpretation of a work by Bach at the Concorso Internazionale C. Togni. In 2008 she was awarded 1st Prize in the Premio Pianistico "Silvio Begnalli", as well as 3rd Prize at the Concorso Internazionale dei Duchi d'Aquaviva. In 2007 she was awarded a First Class Honours Masters Degree in Prague. She is presently a "Konzertexaman" student of Pavel Gililov in Cologne.

Rebecca has given many concerts both in Ireland and abroad. Concerto performances include those with the Pardubice Philharmonic Orchestra in Prague and in Chrudim, Hochschulsinfonieorchester in Cologne, and, in Ireland, with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, Cork Chamber Orchestra and Camerata Ireland. She has given recitals in Japan; at the Rhein Ruhr Festival; at the Sulmona Estate Festival, Italy; National Concert Hall, Dublin and at the Martinu Hall, Prague.

Forthcoming engagements include tours of China and Japan in 2010, a performance of Mozart's Concerto no. 8 with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and recitals in Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy.

A keen chamber musician, Rebecca has given concerts with oboist Emmet Byrne in Ireland, Germany and on tour in Japan, 2006, as part of the EU Japan Fest. In 2007 and 2009 further tours of Japan took place with Elizabeth Cooney, Ioana Petcu-Colan, Adrian Calef, Norah King and Daire Halpin. She also performs with sister Kirsten Čápová, piano.

Rebecca has complimented her studies with lessons from such distinguished musicians as Gyorgy Sebok, Tatiana Zelikmann, Drahomira Biligova, Philippe Cassard and Philip Martin.