A native of Kansas, Sylvia Reynolds Eckes' concert career began with decisive critical acclaim following her debut concerts at the Aula Concert Hall in Oslo Norway and at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. She has performed regularly in the United States and Europe as soloist and chamber musician, has appeared frequently on TV and radio programs in Norway, and has been guest soloist with orchestras in California, Florida, and New Jersey. She performed and taught at several universities and conservatories in Beijing and Tianjin China in 1999 and in 2000. During July of 2004 she was on the piano faculty at the Festival "Musica in Laguna" in Chioggia Italy.

Dr. Eckes holds a B.M. degree from Peabody Conservatory where she graduated at age 20, a M.S. degree from the Juilliard School, and a Doctor of Music Arts degree from the University of Kansas. As a graduate student at the Oslo Conservatory she received the debut concert award and a scholarship student at the Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg Austria, she performed twice in the Salzburg Festival. Her career as chamber musician has taken her to Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, and to numerous cities in Norway. She made her debut as accompanist in Oslo's Aula Concert Hall with baritone, Erling Onsager, and at Carnegie Recital Hall with oboist Brynar Hoff. She was also the orchestra pianist of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1972-74. She has recorded on Crystal Labels with clarinettist, Melvin Warner.

Before joining the faculty at Ohio University in 1995, Sylvia held full-time academic appointments at the University of Kansas, Northern Illinois University, and Rollins College. She served as Interim Director of the Ohio University School of Music from 2001-2002. She has been a frequent guest instructor at the Norwegian State Ballet Academy. Dr. Eckes maintained a private studio in New Jersey that yielded several first place winners in international piano competitions. As competition winners, her students have performed in various festivals, with orchestras, and in locations throughout the country including CAMI Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Steinway Hall, Twin Oaks Mansion in Washington D.C., the University of Illinois, and Princeton University. In 1992, she received the Genia Robinor Pedagogy Award of Excellence from the Piano Teachers Society of America, and "Teacher of the Year" award from the Steinway Society. From 1990-1995 she was president of a non-profit organization, JOIE, that produced music programs by children and for children for educational TV, in schools, and at libraries. Sylvia Reynolds Eckes' recording of Piano Works by Edvard Grieg was released on the Connoisseur Label in Spring 2000.

"... refreshing grace and simplicity ... intimate manner of speech ... her unassuming affection for line and texture in Haydn's B minor Sonata (Hob.32) and the clarity and the sweetness of her phrasing in Schumann's difficult "Humoreske" was a soothing relief from New York's arena of giant egos." Bernard Holland, NEW YORK TIMES