Ralph Votapek, born Ralph on March 20, 1939 in Milwaukee, United States of America, is an American pianist. He began his musical education at age nine, studying at the Wisconsin Conservatory and later at Northwestern University and Juilliard School. In 1959, Votapek won the prestigious Naumburg Award in New York City. He gained international recognition by winning the gold medal at the First International Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Fort Worth in 1962. Notable albums included Granados: Goyescas (2010), Debussy: Préludes (intégrale) (2011), and Schubert: The Last Sonatas (2011). Votapek's career also saw numerous performances with major American orchestras and extensive tours in South America in 1966, earning him the Best Foreign Artist award from the Argentine Association of Music Critics in 2013.
