Program Overview
Piano at Lawrence is excellence in performance.
Excellence in performance is made possible by transformative community engagement, genre-defying entrepreneurial concerts and projects, award-winning jazz, and a tight-knit community that is passionate about the piano and keyboard instruments. You can explore concentrations in pedagogy, collaborative piano, and jazz.
Grow your artistry, build your technical facility, and expand your musical possibilities in a community of empowerment, collaboration, and support. Hone and challenge your performance skills with a diverse array of solo, chamber, and ensemble experiences. Dig into the transformational power of music through community outreach. Become the versatile and entrepreneurial musician the world needs. Where will your musical journey take you?
Spotlight
Lawrentian Spotlight
Student Perspective
“I appreciate the wide range of opportunities that are available to me at the Lawrence Conservatory. I have taken lessons in both classical and jazz piano, played in multiple chamber music settings, played in a jazz combo, sang in choir, and competed in multiple solo piano competitions.”
Jonathan Bass ’24 Music Performance (Piano), French and Francophone Studies Greenville, Wisconsin
Studio Culture
Build close relationships with faculty and peers. Collaborate in studio classes, recitals, and chamber ensembles. Explore diverse musical interests and career paths. Receive personalized guidance to achieve your unique musical goals.
So Many Ways to Shine
Piano students compete in and win high-level competitions like MTNA and Schubert Club, attend prestigious festivals, and perform on renowned stages.
100+ Pianos, Harpsichords, & Clavichords
Pianists at Lawrence have access to a variety of keyboard instruments, including harpsichords, Steinway pianos, organs, and more. Pianos can be found throughout campus, including in the Warch Campus Center, and in student residence lounges.
Advising
At Lawrence, academic advising helps you shape an educational experience that reflects your interests, goals, and aspirations. Your faculty advisor will support you as you plan your path, connect with campus resources and communities, and make informed decisions that prepare you for a meaningful and fulfilling future.
Faculty
Engage deeply and collaboratively with professors who are experts in their field and committed to supporting your education.
All Faculty
Bill Carrothers
Lecturer of Music
Bill Carrothers has been a professional pianist for more than 40 years. He has played many venues throughout the U.S. and Europe including the The Village Vanguard, Village Gate, Knitting…
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Catherine C. Kautsky
George and Marjorie Olsen Chandler Professor of Music
catherine.c.kautsky@lawrence.edu
Catherine Kautsky, Chair of Keyboard at Lawrence University, has been lauded by the New York Times as “a pianist who can play Mozart and Schubert as though their sentiments and…
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Michael D. Mizrahi
Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Music
michael.d.mizrahi@lawrence.edu
Praised as "intrepid" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "engaging" (Houston Chronicle), and "endlessly fascinating" (WQXR New York), pianist Michael Mizrahi has won acclaim for his compelling performances of a wide-ranging repertoire and his…
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Anthony P. Padilla (he/him/his)
Professor of Music
anthony.p.padilla@lawrence.edu
Anthony Padilla is a professor of piano and chamber music at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin. An American pianist of Filipino-Chinese ancestry, Padilla receives public and…
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Anna R. Reiser (she/her/hers)
Teacher of Piano and Instructor of Music
Anna Reiser teaches piano, piano pedagogy, and the Taubman Approach to piano playing.
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Catherine S. Walby (she/her/hers)
Teacher of Piano and Lecturer of Music
Catherine Walby has taught piano at the Lawrence Community Music School since 2000. In addition, she teaches class piano and secondary piano lessons at Lawrence University. She ran the week-long…
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Sound the Retreat
Bond with your fellow musicians, focus on your craft, and immerse yourself in natural beauty during retreat weekends at Björklunden, a 441-acre estate on the shores of Lake Michigan.
