International Piano Institute
When
July 21, 2025–July 26, 2025
8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. CST
Cost
$450 + $20 registration fee
Objective
Piano Institute provides a concentrated week of stimulating musical activities within a Christian environment which will motivate and encourage students in their piano studies and in life.
Eligibility
The Institute is open to serious piano students ages 10-18 at an intermediate to advanced level (Level 5 method book and above). Students will be grouped according to age and ability.
Activities
- Daily devotionals
- Daily lessons
- Classes: Music Theory, Piano Literature, Performance, and Improvisation
Recital
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. | The Solo Recital features memorized pieces learned prior to the Institute.
Lunch (optional)
- Students may bring a lunch, or
- Lunch is available in the cafeteria (Choose this option when you apply online.)
Lodging (optional)
- Northwestern dorm check-in is on Sunday at 5 p.m. with a pizza dinner provided
- Planned evening activities are available to students, including devotions
- Cost includes lunch and dinner
- Dorms have a stove, microwave, and refrigerator
- Rooms include A/C and private bathroom
| Schedule | |
| 8:30–8:40 a.m. | Devotionals |
| 8:40–11:45 a.m. | Classes/lessons |
| 11:45 a.m. | Lunch |
| 12:45–3:15 p.m. | Classes/lessons |
| 3:15–4:00 p.m. | Master Class |
| Costs | |
| Tuition | $450 |
| Lodging (includes all meals) | $275 |
| Lunch (commuter students) | $50 |
Application Deadline: June 15, 2025
Payment Deadline: July 1, 2025
Step 1:
All interested students must complete an application online. If you are a first time applicant to the Piano Institute, please include a video/audio recording from your current repertoire with your online application. You will be required to identify your current piano instructor’s name, phone, and email. You will also be asked about your current music theory level. There is a $20 non-refundable application fee.
Step 2:
Upon acceptance into the Piano Institute you will receive a tuition statement via email. You can make payments online, by calling the office at 651-631-5108, or by sending in a check.
- Application opens: December 1, 2024
- Early Acceptance: February 1, 2025
- Regular Acceptance: May 1, 2025
- Application deadline: June 15, 2025
- Payment deadline: July 1, 2025
- Late Registration Fee: $20
Dr. Richard Lange
International PIano Institute Co-director, Topics and Master Classes, Piano lessons
Dr. Lange founded the Piano Institute in 1993 and serves as Coordinator of Piano Studies at University of Northwestern – St. Paul, where he has served on faculty since 1989. Dr. Lange holds a DMA in piano performance from the University of Minnesota. Appearances include KCSM TV in San Mateo, California, Live from Landmark broadcast on KSJN radio in St. Paul, the College of Holy Names Orchestra in Sacramento, and the UNW Orchestra.
Peter (Bowen) Liu
Piano Lessons
Bowen (Peter) Liu is a dedicated pianist who earned his Master of Music in piano performance from the University of Iowa. He is currently completing his Doctoral of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in piano performance, also at the University of Iowa, under the tutelage of the renowned pianist Dr. Ksenia Nosikova.Peter has established himself as a talented and committed artist. From 2019–23, Peter served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, providing group and individual piano lessons and collaborating with a variety of musicians in the community. Peter’s exceptional artistry has led him to achieve notable success in competitions. Recent accolades include: 2022 Schubert Club competition winner, first place in the 2021 Iowa Music Teachers Association competition (IMTA), first place in the 2019 Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA) competition, first place in the 2019 Thursday Young Artist college division, and winner of the 2019 Concerto-Aria competition at the University of Iowa.
Sonja Grimes
Sonja maintains a private piano teaching studio, is a Master Certified Teacher with the Minnesota Music Teacher’s Association, and led the Musikgarten program at Salem Covenant Church for twenty years. She currently serves on the faculty at the University of Northwestern, St. Paul. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Daniel Paul Horn. As a student of Lambert Orkis and Charles Abramovic, she earned her Master’s Degree in Accompanying, Chamber Music, and Piano Pedagogy from Temple University in Philadelphia. She and her husband, Greg, have three children and live in Shoreview.
Leonard Danek
Dr. Leonard Danek studied composition with Dr. Paul Fetler at the University of Minnesota and piano with Jeaneane Dowis in New York. A prolific composer of over 350 works, including two piano concertos, numerous sonatas for organ and piano, and over 60 chorale preludes for organ, he has received many commissions with works performed in recital locally, by the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and at an annual meeting of the College Music Society in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Danek has given many solo recitals on both piano and organ throughout the Upper Midwest to critical acclaim.
Neil Krzeski
Neil Krzeski is a versatile pianist and collaborative musician based in Iowa City. He recently completed his doctoral coursework at the University of Iowa, studying under Ksenia Nosikova, where he also contributed to the Center for New Music Ensemble.
His recent performance highlights include a recital with Chicago Symphony Orchestra cellist Richard Hirschl, improvisational piano accompaniment to the silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, and playing harpsichord for Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed alongside jazz vocalist Michele Weir at the Solon Vocal Jazz Festival and in Brazil as part of the Festival de Piano de Natal.
Krzeski holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University, where he studied with José Ramón Mendez, and graduated magna cum laude from Lawrence University under the tutelage of Michael Mizrahi. He currently serves as the principal keyboardist of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra.
