Gail Olszewski piano, harpsichord and chamber music instructor. There is no doubt that after 40+ years of teaching, Gail loves music so much, that her hope is to pass along her own passion for music and how fun it is to play the piano to her own students. She likes to think she’s training not just pianists, but musicians!
She has been teaching classical, with some pop and jazz thrown in, at MacPhail since 2000. Gail is also a Vocal and Chamber Music coach. Gail’s performance career has taken her across the globe, from Canada, Europe, Central America to Australia. Closer to home, she has soloed and collaborated with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra; performed a piano concerto with the Minneapolis Philharmonic, served as rehearsal pianist for Ordway Center for the Arts productions and pianist and musical director for venues such as the Minnesota Fringe Festival, Loring Playhouse, and the Nautilus Theater.
Her recent solo recording of piano music of late 19th-early 20th century Finnish composers, Northern Lights: Finnish Favorites, was made on an 1877 Blüthner grand piano from the Frederick Collection, Ashburnham, MA. The CD and digital downloads as well as audio selections and videos are available on her website.
Gail’s additional projects include The St. Croix Chamber Ensemble and The WolfGang Ensemble.
Gail holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish/music history/harpsichord from the University of New Hampshire, a Master of Music in piano performance from Boston University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in accompanying/coaching from the University of Minnesota.
Favorite non-musical hobby: Cooking, hiking, exercise classes
