When Professor Masha Belyavski-Frank planned a concert in memory of Neil Rabaut, she said she wanted it to be a celebration of his music, not a memorial.
Rabaut, who graduated from DePauw in December of 1995, died this summer due to complications following a bone marrow transplant. Rabaut graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition. In January of 1996, Rabaut was diagnosed with a chronic type of leukemia. He underwent a successful bone marrow transplant in May of 1996 and the leukemia was cured. However, the new bone marrow later went on to attack his liver, and Rabaut died on June 7, 1997. Before he died, Rabaut was planning to begin his graduate work this year at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
"The idea for the concert arose after the funeral when friends of Neil's started performing one of his pieces at his family's home, and we thought that his music should be shared with all of the DePauw community," she said.
Belyavski-Frank was Rabaut's Russian professor and in a short time got to know Rabaut well.
"He was a very modest person," she said. "I remember once when he invited me to a concert of his. I asked him what he was playing and he replied, the piano. But I wanted to know what piece of music. He finally said it was his own music and in fact the whole concert was his music."
The concert in remembrance of Rabaut will be this Friday at 11 a.m. in Thompson Recital Hall.
"This concert allows us who knew Neil, and others of the DePauw community who didn't, to celebrate his music and his life," Belyavski-Frank said. A group of current and former DePauw students will play a compilation of Rabaut's own music. In between, people who knew Rabaut will share anecdotes of his life. Professor of Music David Ott, who worked with Rabaut, will be coming to DePauw to participate in the concert and contribute some of his music honoring Rabaut.
"The piece that I will be performing in Neil's memory was one I was actually writing the day he died," Ott said. "This piece is very emotional, and I felt it was one I wanted to dedicate to Neil. Neil was an outstanding student who rose above as far as he could, always looking into the future with hope."
Friday afternoon, there will be an informal reception at the Walden Inn from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
"The reception will not only be to remember Neil, but also for students to catch up with the musical alumni," Belyavski-Frank said. "Everyone is invited."
Fifth-year student Matt Henning, an acquaintance of Rabaut, said that Rabaut was a very focused student and "worked his tail off every day." He remembers when Rabaut had to pass a piano proficiency just before he graduated, and it was the last thing he wanted to do at the time. According to Henning, Rabaut had to play a patriotic piece, and he gave his own rendition of the piece. He didn't pass, but that wouldn't stop him. Laughing, Henning described what Rabaut did for the second try.
"He dressed up in red, white and blue and any other patriotic clothes he could find." Henning said. Rabaut again played his own rendition of the piece, and again he didn't pass. Henning assumed that Rabaut ended up having to play the piece the regular way to pass the third time.
"Neil did so much in a short time," Ott said. "His legacy will live on forever in our lives." Part of Rabaut's legacy may live on in his music, for, according to Belyavski-Frank, plans are in the works to produce a CD of Rabaut's music.