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St. Paul Piano Teachers Association offers a professional program to meet the needs of its members based on the Professional Standards from the Music Teachers National Association. Professional Preparation, Professional Teaching Practices, Professional Business Management, Professional Partnerships, Professional and Personal Renewal.
Attendance at four general meetings per year (other than the Autumn Tea, if there is no presentation) counts as one point for MTNA Recertification (NCTM) under “Attendance at local pedagogical programs.”
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Upcoming Meetings
ANNOUNCEMENT: SPPTA and MMTF are combining our monthly meetings. MMTF will be hosting in- person/hybrid meetings and SPPTA will host Virtual-only meetings during the winter months.
Come join us!
September 25th, 2025 Thursday
Autumn Tea hosted by SPPTA and MMTF
Time: 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Summerhouse of Shoreview
4655 Victoria St N, Shoreview, MN 55126
Cost: $18
Menu: The Autumn Tea is being catered and there will be a selection of teas, beverages, tea sandwiches and desserts
Register here by Friday, September 6th, 2025
Register here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/SaintPaulPianoTeachers/AutumnTea2025
SPPTA Board Meeting Tuesday, September 9th at 10:00 am.
October:
No Monthly Meeting
SPPTA members are encourgaed to attend the Masterclass and Recital November 8th, 2025 with Nick Susi.
See details here: https://sppta.org/master-class
SPPTA Board Meeting Tuesday, October 14th at 10:00 am.
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November: SPECIAL EVENT
MTNA 150th Anniversary Celebration
Celebrate with SPPTA on Saturday, November 8th, 2025
*Masterclass: 10:00 am-12:00 pm Masterclass with Nick Susi
Register here:
https://www.cognitoforms.com/SaintPaulPianoTeachers/MasterclassNovember8th2025DrNicholasSusi
*Lunch 12:15-1:45 pm
MTNA 150th Anniversary Celebration Lunch
SPPTA and MMTF members invited to
Saint Paul Grill across the street from the Landmark Center
(Each person will purchase their own lunch of their choice off the regular menu.)
RSVP required by October 15th, 2025:
RSVP HERE:
https://www.cognitoforms.com/SaintPaulPianoTeachers/MTNA150thAnniversaryLunch2025
*Dr. Nicholas Susi Recital 2:00 Nick Susi Recital
Location: Landmark Center, Thelma Hunter Recital Room - Downtown Saint Paul
If you would like to attend the recital, please RSVP by November 1st, there is limited seating.
https://www.cognitoforms.com/SaintPaulPianoTeachers/RECITALMTNA150thAnniversaryCelebration2025
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Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
Monthly Meeting
Time: 10:30 am - Noon
Hosted by MMTF (Hybrid)
Presenter: Masterclass with Jean Krinke focusing on INTA, INTB and JYA state contest repertoire
Location: HYBRID
IN-PERSON: Bloomington Schmitt Music
ZOOM: Link in November Newsletter
December:
No Meeting
January 2026
No Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 10:30 A.M.
February 2026
Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 10:30 A.M.
Presenter: Dr. Darryl Friesen
Topic: Performance Anxiety and Memory Consistency
Confidence and consistency in performance is something that results when we begin preparation for our performance the day we start learning the piece. While that may sound daunting and idealistic, the ways in which we interact with our different types of memory and the different facets of our interpretational choices throughout the whole process of learning a piece are precisely the components of preparation that result in feeling confident on performance day.
Darryl Friesen Short Biography
Darryl Friesen has given acclaimed performances as a soloist and collaborative artist across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. He has performed as soloist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and as a collaborator and recitalist with many distinguished artists. Darryl’s debut album,
Curlicue: The Solo Piano Works of Karen Sunabacka, was released by Ravello Records in September
2022. Dr. Friesen is grateful to have studied with some of the greatest musicians in North America, including Lee Kum-Sing at the Vancouver Academy of Music, William Heiles and Dennis Helmrich at the University of Illinois, and is especially thankful for his time at the University of Manitoba as a student of esteemed Canadian pianist, Dr. David Moroz, with whom he is now colleagues. His studies were made possible through generous grants from the Manitoba Arts Council and the Canada Council of the Arts, including the coveted Sylva Gelber Foundation Award, given annually to the most talented
Canadian classical artist under the age of 30. Dr. Friesen is in great demand as a soloist, collaborative artist, teacher, and clinician. He and his wife live with their four children in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Please note that the meeting will be ZOOM ONLY; there will be no in-person meeting for this presentation. Please see the link in the February newsletter.
SPPTA Board Meeting Tuesday, February 10th at 10:00 am.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 10:30 A.M. (Note, this is the second Tuesday of the month)
Presenter: Dr. Ann DuHamel
Topic: "The Soil of His Heart, The Soul of Poland: "Zal" and Chopin"
Location: In-person Bloomington Schmitt Music and ZOOM (Link for ZOOM will be emailed.)
Prior to earning a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and pedagogy at the University of Iowa under the tutelage of Ksenia Nosikova, Ann was Assistant Artistic Director to Paul Wirth at the Wirth Center (then Central Minnesota Music School) in St Cloud, MN, for 8 years. Ann’s had the great fortune to play in masterclasses and lessons for many pianists, including Vladimir Feltsman, Alexander Korsantia, Fernando Laires, José Ramón Mendez, Susan Starr, Nelita True, and more, in addition to collaborative piano coaching with Martin Katz, Arlene Shrut, and John Wustman.
An active member of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association for over 25 years, Ann is Past President of the organization. She devotes herself to the mission of sharing high quality traditional and contemporary classical music with students and the greater community.
Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 10:30 A.M.
Presenter: Katherine Jacobson Fleischer
Topic: Leon Fleisher: Legendary Musician (1928-2020)
Location: In-person Bloomington Schmitt Music and ZOOM (Link for ZOOM will be emailed.)
Leon Fleisher wished to be known and remembered first as a musician. Katherine Jacobson Fleisher will speak about the great pianist, master teacher and conductor; sharing some of his enlightened ideas on music in her talk, with a few select examples at the piano .Some interesting & amusing personal anecdotes will also be included.
Katherine Jacobson Fleisher received degrees in piano performance from St. Olaf College (B.M. Margaret Birkeland)) and the Cleveland Institute of Music. (M.M. Vitya Vronsky) The major musical influence of her life was Leon Fleisher with whom she studied at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.
She served on the piano faculty of Goucher College and the piano ensemble faculty of the Peabody Institute from 2000-2020.
Katherine performed and toured globally with her husband, Leon Fleisher from 2003-2018.
SPPTA Board Meeting Tuesday, April 14th at 10:00 am.
May:
Tuesday, May 5 th, 2026
Hosted by MMTF
Presenter: TBA
Location: Bloomington Schmitt Music and ZOOM Hybrid
SPPTA Board Meeting Tuesday, July TBA at 10:00 am.