Ann Rayburn LeVan, pianist

Sought after as a teacher, accompanist, choir director, organist, soloist, judge, and coach, Ann Rayburn LeVan’s incredible abilities at the piano are unique in every sense.  Ann began her piano studies at the age of seven with Mrs. Hazel Lewis.  Four years later, and for the next two years, her studies continued with Ann Ward.  While in Jr. High, Ann was accepted as a student of William Rutledge, via the North East Mississippi Junior College, and remained his student through her graduation from “North East”.

Ann holds an Associate in Arts degree from North East Mississippi Junior College (1977).  Studying with Dr. Natalia DaRosa at the University of Mississippi, and then with pianist Max W. Pugh at Union University, Ann earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Union University in Jackson, TN (1980).  As a student of renowned pianist Daniel Fletcher, Ann earned a Masters of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Memphis (1982).

In 1982, the music education division of the Baldwin Piano & Organ Co. brought Ann to Cincinnati.  For the next 12 years, while at Baldwin, Ann taught pre-school and class piano, and developed curriculum for all stages of musical education, including co-authoring Let’s Make Music Together! with Judy Long & Suzanne Whitaker.  In 1985, Ann joined the faculty of the Toedtman School of Music, where she met her husband, pianist & teacher Tim LeVan. 

Mrs. LeVan served as organist for Pleasant Ridge United Methodist Church from 1982 - 1986.  Loveland United Methodist Church called her as their music director from 1988 thru 1991. In 1994, having heard Mrs. LeVan perform as organist for a wedding, Blue Ash Presbyterian Church invited her to become their organist.  Two years later, BAPC added to her responsibilities the position of music director; a role that she held through 2003.  Between 2003 & 2018, Ann actively participated at Hope Church, and served Hope’s choir as their accompanist from 2009 thru 2015.  In recent years, Ann has enjoyed ringing in the bell choir at Heritage Presbyterian Church (Mason, OH) choir, singing in their (vocal) choir, and singing with the Mason Chorale - a community choir based at HPC.

. . . and the music stopped - but only for a short time.  On Tuesday, June 6th, 2017, Ann experienced an infarction (clot/stroke) of a .5mm artery serving her spinal column.  This event not only caused phenomenal pain, but also paralyzed her from the waist down.  After a week in the hospital, followed by nearly five weeks of in-patient physical therapy & 'rehab', Ann returned home to many new challenges. To the joy of her students, Ann resumed teaching in September of 2017. As she regained control of her "pedal foot", Ann is once again artistically making great concert caliber piano music.  In short - her determination to return to playing the piano can only be compared to a force of nature.

Timothy J. LeVan, pianist

Tim LeVan began his “piano lessons” in 1969 at the age of six, when Baldwin Piano & Organ Co. began it’s nationwide lab group-piano “experiment” in Cincinnati.  S. Steven Lee, Tom Long, and Alison Fahrer were the driving force behind that program that caused a group of six  boys to fall in love with the piano.  Compliments of his elementary school music teacher, Tim was introduced to John Toedtman in 1974.  Toedtman remained LeVan’s teacher through 1981, and was responsible for his introduction to the maestro, Eugene List in 1979.   Studies with List began in earnest the summer of 1980, and continued until List’s untimely death in 1985.  Mr. LeVan then continued his studies in NY with several of the world’s most renown pianists, including Jerome Lowenthal, and then subsequently with legendary pianists Garrick Ohlsson, and the late Santos Ojeda.   

Mr. LeVan was a member of the music faculty at the Toedtman School of Music, where he met pianist & teacher Ann Rayburn (now: LeVan).  Together, they formed LeVan/Rayburn Studios in January of 1986; in September of 1987, the two “tied the knot”.  From 1986 through 1994, he was organist & accompanist at Loveland United Methodist Church; subsequently through the present, he has served as guest and interim organist at several churches in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Many have asked how it was that a classically trained pianist ended up sitting in the front left seat of a commercial airliner.  The answer is simple:  Mrs. LeVan permitted him to learn to fly.  Flying “for fun” began in March of 1988, with certificates, ratings, endorsements, and 3,400 hours in the air added over the next six years.  In November of 1994, Mr. LeVan was hired by a wholly owned division of USAirways as a first officer      (co-pilot).  1998 saw his upgrade to Captain, a position that he has continued to serve for over 19 years.  2014 began the merger of USAirways and AMERICAN AIRLINES; Capt. LeVan currently pilots the Canadair Regional Jet 200, 700, and 900 series of airliners, with nearly 25,000 hours logged in the air.  Additionally, Capt. LeVan serves as an instructor pilot in full motion level-D CRJ series aircraft flight simulators, and serves his colleagues via the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) in mulitple capacities.

God has an uncanny way of setting the stage for the “job” that He wishes to have done.  The practical application of Matt. 28: 16-20, “the Great Commission”, really means that we are all involved in mission work:  Sharing the gospel.  It also means that our involvement could simply be supporting those that are in-the-field.  Undoubtedly, God gently used two exceptional individuals as catalysts that we might enjoy concert caliber piano repertoire for one purpose:  for His Glory (Alone):  Soli Deo Gloria.  In 2007, it was John Toedtman who challenged Tim to re-engage the idea of performing at the piano.  “God using each of us, and our gifts, in a new way … for His Glory”, was the focal point of a sermon given in 2009 by Rev. Dr. Jerry Kirk.  God’s perfect recipe: our only response, “Here am I, Lord”.

Concerts for Missions began in late 2010, and have continued since.  Concerto Repertoire includes the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 in C minor,  Op. 18, the Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16,  Beethoven’s Piano Concerto #3 in C minor, Op. 37, and Mozart’s Piano Concerto #21 in C major.   Symphonic Repertoire includes Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, and Nutcracker Suite, Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusic, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.  Performances include repeat engagements on behalf of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship collegiate mission ministry of Rev. Dr. Michael G. Moriarty,  the mental health ministry of The Presbyterian Counseling Center of Daytona Beach, FL - hosting performances at the Museum of Arts & Sciences in Daytona Beach, the medical missions ministry of Caring Partners International (Cincinnati, OH), and the ministry of the Interfaith Homeless Outreach Council of (southern) New Jersey.  Initially, pianist John K. Toedtman graciously partnered with Tim on the concert stage.  In recent years, Tim’s wife, pianist Ann Rayburn LeVan, happily agreed to perform with him in concert … and the two formed the duo-piano team of LeVan & LeVan.

Growing: it appears that each concert success for LeVan & LeVan leads to yet another concert engagement.  To satisfy the demand for appropriate music, Capt. LeVan has completed and continues to arrange fantastic works of music for the duo-piano ensemble genre.  To that end, he has completed and holds copyright on the following works.

Duo-Piano Arrangements

5th Organ Symphony, Op. 42, No.5      ....   C.M.Widor
          "Toccata"

Fugue for Organ, BWV 577                    ….  J.S. Bach

Fugue for Organ, BWV 578                    ….  J.S. Bach

Carillon de Westminster                          ….  Louis Vierne

The Four Seasons                                    ….  Antonio Vivaldi

       7 of 12 movements       

Toccata & Fugue for Organ, BWV 565    ….  J.S. Bach

Duet Arrangement (s)

The Overture to the Barber of Seville     ....  Gioachino Rossini

Prelude #22 in B-flat minor /  BWV867    ….  J.S. Bach 

Solo - Original Compositions

Cadenza: Mvt 1 •Mozart Concerto #21 K467….  W.A. Mozart

Cadenza: Mvt 3 •Mozart Concerto #21 K467….  W.A. Mozart