A heart attack has claimed one of Classical Singer’s favorite coaches. Robert DeCeunyck passed away May 4 on his way home from New York City Opera.
DeCeunyck was born April 16, 1940 in Duerne, Belgium, just outside of Antwerp. He studied piano and languages in Belgium before moving to Nebraska, where as a child he would sit at an upright piano while his family fed his insatiable musical appetite with opera scores brought home from the University of Nebraska.
Later, DeCeunyck went to Loyola High School in Los Angeles, where he continued his study with a private teacher. He won a four-year piano scholarship to Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash. He served in the military for a few years and then went to grad school at The University of Washington.
After graduation, DeCeunyck became a vocal coach at Seattle Opera, coaching one summer at Santa Fe Opera before receiving a Rockefeller Grant to go to Europe for one year to study opera. Twenty-five years ago, he interviewed to be on staff at New York City Opera, and won the job He’s been there ever since. He also coached singers privately and played for innumerable recitals.
Later on in his career, DeCeunyck worked extensively and toured as an accompanist with famed sopranos Renata Scotto, Diane Soviero, and Hildegard Behrens on worldwide recital tours. He was the coach for the Opera Orchestra of New York for several years, working with conductor Eve Queler. Ten years ago, he also joined the staff of the Metropolitan Opera as an assistant conductor. He was concurrently at the Met and City Opera up until his death.
DeCeunyck was married to Harriet Helliwell and was the father of two children: Andrew (Robin) of Seattle, Wash., and Matthew (Claire) of Chicago, Il. He was the brother of Simone Anderson of Nebraska City, Neb., Suzanne McBride of Murrieta, Calif. and Lea Siders of Medford, Ore.
Those of us who coached with Robert will miss his friendship, patience, gentle humor, wonderful musicianship and language skills. Most of all, we will miss his calm amidst the storm that is sometimes the world of opera.
John Beeson, Chief of Music Staff at New York City Opera, had this to say about his friend and colleague:
“[Robert] was someone who started with very, very little and made his way up the ladder through sheer willpower and determination. It’s one thing to play Beethoven and Brahms; it’s another to play operatic repertoire. He always felt he pulled himself up into playing operatic piano, with all its various shades and colors, but he finally mastered the business of operatic coaching. He was always able to figure out what needed to be attacked and what needed to be left alone.
“He was always learning. He even learned to translate, read and teach Czech when he was over 50 years old, because he loved the repertoire.
He had a fantastic sense of humor, often combining languages. For example, a few weeks ago, he left a note on my locker that told me where to find him. It said “dry.” I was supposed to translate that into “drei,” which meant room three in German, and made a pun on the acoustics of the room.
It took some people a while to get used to him. To some people, he came across as being a bit obstinate—but he grew on you. He enjoyed opera life, opera stories and opera people.
“[Robert] regarded opera life as a way to make a living—but his real love was playing recitals. He had a vast knowledge of the Lieder repertory. Whenever someone wanted someone to put together, say, a program of slightly off-color Wolf Lieder, he’d be the one to come to. It was difficult for New York City Opera to work around his recital tours but the company respected his work and let him do it.
“[Robert] was interested in things outside Lincoln Center. For example, he and Harriet marched in a war against Iraq not long ago. He was totally devoted to his two boys. I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard him fret about them. He was constantly in touch and monitoring their progress. There is now a strange sense of walking into rooms at Lincoln Center and finding he’s not there.”
