Joe Strachan

Joe Strachan is a versatile pianist and educator based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. His personal piano education is steeped in jazz and improvisation, even having been part of MacPhail’s Dakota Jazz ensemble as a high school student. As an educator, he welcomes students of all ages, from young children to adults. Joe loves helping students come to grips with theory, harmony, and how to translate these concepts to the keys, so students can learn by ear in whatever style they desire. Having personally experienced tendinitis and repetitive stress injuries from playing, he’s dedicated to incorporating healthy and sustainable ways of playing the piano into his teaching. 

With over a decade of performance experience, Joe’s career playing the piano includes accompanying dance, performing on synths and electronics, and composing for a diverse range of collaborations in dance and theater. Recent work includes touring with Craig Finn, and Mixed Blood Theater, as well as performing locally with ThoughtCast, Charanga Tropical, Ahndendet, Little Boat, the Interstellar Cowboy band, Wheel Eternal, and HatchDance. Joe’s work has been recognized with awards such as the Next Step Fund (2020).