Dianne Chilgren was born in New Ulm, Minnesota on April 18th, 1941,to Hilding Samuel Chilgren and Barbara Elaine Chilgren. She passed away peacefully in Shoreline WA on July 1st, 2026 after a battle with cancer. She was an accomplished concert pianist and one of the most respected ballet pianists of her generation, whose artistry enriched the work of many of the world’s greatest dancers, choreographers, and ballet companies.
Dianne grew up in Spokane, Washington. She started playing piano at the age of four and earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Eastman School of Music: Indiana University. While attending university she was active in her musical sorority, Mu Phi Epsilon, and dabbled in dance classes.
Before beginning her distinguished career in ballet, Dianne established herself as a concert pianist, performing throughout New York in concerts, radio broadcasts, and Carnegie Hall. In a 2014 interview, she recalled those early years, saying, “I was playing all over New York at that time—Carnegie Hall, concerts and radio shows.” She entered the ballet world almost by chance after someone suggested that her musical sensitivity would appeal to George Balanchine a recommendation that would shape the rest of her remarkable career. (Queen Anne & Magnolia News)
In 1971, Dianne joined the New York City Ballet as a piano soloist, where she became a trusted collaborator of legendary choreographers George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. Her extraordinary musicianship accompanied countless rehearsals and performances, helping bring some of the twentieth century’s most celebrated ballets to life. She also worked alongside renowned composer Leonard Bernstein, whose creative process she witnessed firsthand while rehearsing Robbins’ Dybbuk. (Queen Anne & Magnolia News)
Following her years in New York, Dianne served at the Zurich Opera House before returning to the United States. In 1985, Kent Stowell and Francia Russell invited her to join Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. There, she became an indispensable member of the artistic staff, admired by dancers, choreographers, and audiences alike for her exceptional musicality, precision, and deep understanding of dance. (Queen Anne & Magnolia News)
Her expertise also helped preserve ballet history. In the mid-1990s, she was invited by the New York Public Library and the Balanchine Trust to perform newly synchronized piano scores for rare silent archival films of Balanchine ballets. Her work ensured that these historic performances could once again be experienced with the music they were created to accompany, an invaluable contribution to dance preservation. (Queen Anne & Magnolia News)
Throughout her career, Dianne was known not only for her technical brilliance and extensive knowledge about both music and ballet, but also for her professionalism, quick wit and unwavering dedication to her art form. She brought extraordinary artistry to every note she played and her music lives on in the performances she inspired, the artists she supported, and the enduring history of ballet she helped preserve.
Dianne is survived by her sister-in-law, Silvia Chilgren: niece, Allison Chilgren Steele: caretaker and dear friends Emebet, Solomon, Mekbeb and Mesale Seifu. Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday July 9th at 11:00 am at Shoreline Adventist Church, 17424 5th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155; burial to follow at 2pm at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery, 11111 Aurora Ave N, Seattle WA, 98133.
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