One Artist, Five Questions: Dennis Rybicki

Engage with new and returning artists before visiting the Cathedral Square venue to see their amazing array of work. Learn about the artists’ personal stories and creative ambitions through five enticing art-related questions.

This week: Dennis Rybicki

Dennis Rybicki, Voices of the City, 2014, time-based interfaith choir concert

Dennis Rybicki is the Grand Rapids Diocesan director of liturgical music, Aquinas College Alum, and 2014 ArtPrize artist coordinating "Voices of the City". This ArtPrize entry is a time-based, interfaith, 300+ member, live choir performance event which will take place September 28, 3:00pm, in the Cathedral of Saint Andrew.

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What is your background?

I am a liturgical choral director trained at Aquinas College, Calvin College, University of Notre Dame, Westminster Choir College and St. John’s University. I have taught choral music at Catholic Central High School since 1995 and have worked as the Director of Liturgical Music for the Diocese of GR since 2006.

What is your favorite or most inspirational place?

I have had the wonderful opportunity to tour with choirs throughout Europe. My favorite places are Assisi and Rome in Italy and the countryside of Ireland.

Do you have a favorite artist? What attracts you to that artist’s work?

I have two favorite composers: Giovanni da Palestrina from the Renaissance period and Arvo Pärt from the Modern period. Both composers use minimal compositional techniques with such perfection. They are a joy to perform and listen to.

Létourneau organ inside St. Andrew's Cathedral

Why choose to perform inside the Cathedral?

The Cathedral of Saint Andrew is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. It also has a beautiful space for choral singing and has the distinction of having three Létourneau organs in the worship space. The opportunity to collaborate with so many churches and their choirs for this ArtPrize concert has been truly inspirational and a lot of fun. I hope something like this can happen again in the future.

What is integral to the work of an artist?

Honesty and dedication to the craft. Music, like art, requires the musician (or artist) to “get out of the way” so the music (or art) can speak for itself.

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Check out our Facebook event for more specifics: Voices of the City Event