Easter performances with Kathryn Knuttila, Aja Majkrzak, and Kaylah Dockter, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Frazee, MN

  

I spent Easter weekend this year (April 22-24, 2011), with my good friend and mentor, Miss Minnesota, Kathryn Knuttila, at her parents home in Detroit Lakes, MN.  A little known fact is that Kathryn and I take piano lessons at the same piano studio in Thief River Falls.  We both study with Marcia M. Knuttila, Kathryn's aunt and my neighbor!  I have had the opportunity to play in recitals with Kathryn as far back as 2000 when I began lessons.

Being the oldest of 10 kids in my family, Kathryn has kind of been a big sister for me.  She has helped foster a desire to play piano and she has been a great role model for me through out my piano career-  from learning proper practice proceedure to competing in concerto contests.  She even has taught me a bit about teaching piano as we are both MMTA teachers;  of course, she has done it longer.   She inspired me to compete in piano concerto contests, too.  Several years ago, I was able to watch her amazing version of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" concerto.  She is truly an amazing pianist.  It inspired me to go on and do concertos, too.  I have now done a Schumann concerto (9th grade), I accompanied LeeAnn Szeto for a Saint-Saens concerto (10th grade), I did a Prokofiev concerto last year, and this year am doing a Tchaikovsky and a cello concerto. 

The weekend I spent with Kathryn was a lot of fun.  We were providing special music for her church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Frazee, MN.  She introduced me to two of her friends that also came to her parents home for the weekend, Kaylah Dockter, Miss Capital City 2010; and Aja Majkrzak, Miss Capital City 2011.  Kayla and Aja are amazing musicians.  Aja plays violin and Kaylah performs opera!  We had a great time spending the weekend arranging pieces to suit our talents.  I played cello with Aja on violin, Aja and I played our strings together while Kathryn played piano, I did some piano duets with Kathryn, and we also have pieces arranged for me on cello, Aja on violin, Kathryn on piano, and Kaylah soloing with the church choir!  We had a great time at church, and I'd like to say thank you to these amazing young women for including me in their plans.  I'd also like to say a special thank you to Kathryn's parents, Steve and JoAnn Knuttila for hosting me!  Thank you!