Recognized as one of the most consistently inconsistent pianists of her generation, twenty-six* year old Rachel Breen has received such high praise as "I liked the parts you didn't forget" and "the Bach was good except why do you not play your left and right hands together?"

 

Breen has won several competitions, including a bet against herself in the Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition and the award for "most surprising execution of a work in the program" at Concorso Internazionale Palma D’Oro.  Breen has also lost a number of competitions, including failing to be awarded the prize for youngest semifinalist at the Beethoven International Competition in Vienna–a remarkable feat considering she was indeed the youngest semifinalist. Among many other notable defeats, she placed third in the music event at the 2011 California State Latin Convention, where her mother--a non-musician--was the only judge.

 

Her stage presence too has received widespread attention; in regard to her low sitting position at the keyboard, the Calgary Herald observed that “before a note was played Breen had annoyed the audience” at the finals of the Honens International Piano Competition. Another reviewer commented on the same performance, “I saw a pasta machine,” demonstrating something extraordinary about Breen (although what, specifically, is at present unclear).  

 

Her recent appearances include a seminar on conservatory application preparedness for the Contra Costa Performing Arts Society, in which she detailed everything she did and suggested methods to avoid these poor decisions. She was also spotted page turning for performances in New York City, where she insists a certain illustrious audience member recognized her from her YouTube channel, despite his having inquired as to whether her name is Emily. 

 

In 2013, Breen graduated from Miramonte High School, where she was a member of the school's jazz band. She served as its pianist for a week, and subsequently was promoted to third vibraphone, and later, to first clave. Aside from piano, Breen was the first student in her elementary school's 50+ year history to be eliminated from the spelling bee by the word 'does.'  

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*According to David Dubal, Breen is "twenty-six, but thirteen in a lot of ways."