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Diana da Silva Kacso

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | March 04, 2022

Diana da Silva Kacso, age 68, of Brooklyn, New York, died peacefully in her sleep on
March 1, 2022, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband and sons at her bedside,
after undergoing treatment for advanced cancer over the previous 18 months with her
usual indomitable courage, optimism, and irrepressible spirit.
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1953, Diana began studying piano at age seven in her
hometown. At the age of 15, she made her orchestral debut with the Brazilian
Symphony. In 1971, she graduated from the Brazilian Conservatory of Music in C. P. de
Mello’s and Elzira Amabile’s piano classes. Between 1972 and 1975, she studied at the
Juilliard School of Music in New York City as a scholarship student of Sascha
Gorodnitzki.
Diana performed in concerts across South America, Europe, Israel, and the United
States, including Carnegie Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall, and
Concertgebouw, and recorded for radio and television, including appearances on WNET
and WQXR. Deutsche Grammophon recorded her live concert in Munich in 1980. She
performed duos, trios, and chamber music with many beloved colleagues, including
Nancy Green and Jennifer Devore, cellists, and the late Rosemary Glyde, violist.
She won top awards at several international competitions, including 3rd Prize at the
International Piano Competition in Rio de Janeiro (1973), 6th Prize at the 9th
International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw (1975), 1st Prize at the
Teresa Carreño International Latin American Piano Competition, Caracas (1976), 2nd
Prize at the Artur Rubinstein Competition in Tel Aviv (1977), 2nd Prize at the
International Piano Competition in Leeds (1978), 1st prize at the International Piano
Competition in Viña del Mar (1978), and 2nd Prize at the Gina Bachauer International
Piano Competition, Salt Lake City, Utah (1982).
Diana moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1985 with her husband, Christopher Panny, an
attorney whom she originally met at Juilliard when he was a music student there. In the
early 1990s, Diana curtailed her professional activities after her beloved sons, Gabriel
and Benjamin, were born, to devote her time and energy to them.
She returned to her native Brazil several times between 2006 and 2008 to give recitals
and masterclasses, which were enthusiastically received, and to reconnect with friends
and colleagues.

As her sons grew older, she indulged her love of animals by starting a pet care service,
which grew rapidly by word of mouth as a testament to her evident and genuine
affection for every one of her four-legged charges.
Among her favorite pastimes were listening to her sons play cello and flute,
respectively; caring for her beloved dog, Napoleon, known to all as Nappy, visiting with
family, keeping in touch with friends in the US and Brazil and following the Brazilian
national soccer team through triumphs and disappointments.
In addition to her husband, Diana is survived by her beloved sons, Gabriel F. Panny of
Brooklyn, NY and Benjamin M.K. Panny of Pittsburgh; a sister, Lilian K. Riley of
Fredericksburg, VA; brothers-in-law, Stephen (Christa) Panny of Westport, CT, Frank
Panny of Flanders, NJ, and Charles R. Riley (Lilian) of Fredericksburg, VA; sisters-in-
law, Susan (Debra Warn) Panny of Teaneck, NJ and Barbara Panny of Mamaroneck,
NY; and nephews, Charles Russell Riley, Ryan Panny, and Michael Panny.
The family suggests that donations be made in Diana’s name to cancer research
organizations so that future generations may be free of the scourge of cancer and/or to
the ASPCA.
The family expresses their deepest gratitude to Diana’s many friends who were so
supportive of her during her illness.
Arrangements were entrusted to Willig Funeral Home & Crematory.
Condolences and memories may be shared at www.willigfuneralcremationservices.com.

Chuck Danforth, Supervisor

Originally published March 04, 2022.

Other deaths:
"Naomi D. Rosche" || "Michael P. Lyons"