Rebecca Jordan Mañalac, a native of Brier, WA, began playing the piano at the age of five. Rebecca earned her bachelor’s degree in piano performance cum laude from the University of Washington in Seattle, studying with Patricia Michaelian. She obtained her master’s degree in piano performance from Loyola University New Orleans, where she studied under the tutelage of Dr. John Murphy. Rebecca has performed in masterclasses with musicians such as Alexander Korsantia, Logan Skelton, Edmund Battersby, Nelita True, and the Eroica Trio.
Rebecca has appeared as soloist with the Academy Chamber Orchestra, the University of Puget Sound Orchestra, and the Loyola Symphony Orchestra, and has performed live on KING FM 98.1, Seattle’s classical radio station. She has won prizes and awards in several Pacific Northwest piano competitions, including silver and gold medals in the MusicFest Northwest Competition; and won the University of Puget Sound Concerto Competition (2004) and the Loyola University New Orleans Concerto Competition (2011).
Rebecca has experience working with students and musicians of all ages and skill levels, from beginners playing their first notes on the piano, to college students, to professional symphony musicians. Rebecca is Staff Accompanist at Western Washington University and choir pianist for Trinity Lutheran Church. She loves accompanying and chamber music, and also enjoys playing duet and two-piano music with her husband Gabriel.
Gabriel Mañalac has been an active performer and music educator in Washington State for the past decade. He studied with Dr. John Murphy at Loyola University New Orleans where he earned his Bachelor of Music-Piano Performance degree, and with Dr. Robin McCabe at the University of Washington where he earned his Masters and Doctoral degrees in Music-Piano Performance.
As a performer, Gabriel enjoys playing solo and collaborative works. He performed as a pianist, celeste player, and organist for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gulf Coast Symphony, the New Orleans Opera, and Whatcom Symphony Orchestra. Gabriel currently resides in Bellingham, WA where his wife and he run a private piano teaching studio and produce public duo piano concerts in the local area. Gabriel is an active church musician for Trinity Lutheran Church Bellingham where he manages the various musical aspects of the worship services as the Music Director, Organist, and Choir Director. Since 2019, Gabriel has been providing individual and group piano instructions for Whatcom Community College.