Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee was born on February 9, 1938, in Somerville, Massachusetts. She is a first generation Armenian-American whose father survived the Armenian genocide. Her music often reflects her ethnic background, drawing on the Armenian language and the folk music she heard growing up. Her early interest in music came from her mother, who was a skilled violinist. These cultural and family influences shaped the foundation of her musical style. Dianne began learning piano in Boston with Antoine Louis Moeldner, a teacher connected to the traditions of Leschetitzky through his own studies. Moeldner was linked to Helen Hopekirk, a well-known composer and pianist, who became an early role model for Rahbee. This teaching history inspired her deeply. She continued her musical education at Juilliard as a piano major and studied chamber music with Enrico Mainardi at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. Later, she took private piano lessons from several teachers in New York and Boston. Rahbee is a self-taught composer who started writing music for her piano students, encouraged byicatingers, When she was 40 years old, Rahbee focused more on composing. She has since created many works for solo piano, orchestra, ensembles, percussion, and voice. Her compositions have been performed around the world at large festivals in the United States and other countries. Her output shows a strong link to her background and training, making her a notable figure in contemporary music.