MUSIC LESSONS
Finding Inspiration in Every Note
Martin Luther famously said that "music is a gift of God" and considered it "next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest place."
Our Team.
Each teacher works independently. Contact them directly for availability and additional information.
Donna Swanson Liew
Piano
Monday and Wednesday Evenings
Originally from Rockford, Illinois, Donna has been teaching music since 1999 in Texas, Northern Ireland, and here in Minnesota. She received her B.A. in music from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She then earned her Master’s degree in Education from Queen’s University of Belfast in Northern Ireland, where she studied as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.
A lifelong musician, her musical journey began with Yamaha group lessons at age 4. She taught pre-kindergarten through 5th grade classroom music in public and private schools in Texas, and conducted children’s choirs in school and church, then taught Yamaha group keyboard classes in Northern Ireland. She has taught piano both in private and group settings, with students ranging from age 4 to adults.
Donna is currently a member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA), and the Saint Paul Piano Teachers Association (SPPTA). Her students regularly participate in MMTA piano and theory exams, contests, and recitals.
The essential element of Donna’s approach to teaching is to help each of her students discover that they can make beautiful music and have lots of fun!
Open for new students
Swanson_donna@yahoo.com
956-432-2357 (call/ text)
Sheri Peterson
Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass & Piano
Monday and Thursday Evenings
The vastly experienced Sheri Petersen has taught music students ranging from kindergarten and elementary age to junior high and senior high school. The music settings she has led include student orchestras as well as band and choir. During one semester, she was called upon to lead a 130-piece high school orchestra. Sheri’s additional teaching and leadership settings also include the start-up of an all-fourth-grade recorder program, another for differently-abled learners, a world drumming classes in two other urban schools, and even a Mariachi band at a 45% Latino school.
Sheri’s students have performed bi-annual concerts and have competed in solo and ensemble competitions, including acceptance into the Minnesota MEA All-State ensembles. A good number of them have also entered the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies.
She earned her B.A. in Education at Augsburg College in Minneapolis and also holds certificates Elementary Education and K-12 Music Education. She also has Level II proficiency in most wind and brass instruments, Level IV in cello and double bass, and is highly regarded as a violinist and violist. In fact, she currently leads a multi-generational string orchestra, and she plays first violin in Twin Cities Praise Orchestra. Sheri Peterson has the respect of many fellow classical musicians, parents, clergy, and other educators.
Open for new students
Kristin Lefferts
Pipe Organ
Friday Mornings and Afternoons
Kristin Lefferts, MS, CAGO, is our organ instructor. Beginning in high school, she has been involved in church music as organist, choir member, and children’s choir director. She currently serves as choir accompanist at The Grove UMC, and regularly substitutes as organist there and at Advent Lutheran Church. She previously taught piano and organ, accompanied the choir, and was the university organist at Dakota Wesleyan University. In addition, she gave faculty recitals and performed organ solos in the annual Christmas concert. She was the accompanist for the Joyful Sound, a community-based chamber vocal ensemble.
Kris studied organ with Earl Barr at Hamline University and Dr Heinrich Fleischer at the University of Minnesota. She holds degrees from Lutheran Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing, Corpus Christi State University, and South Dakota State University. She holds professional certification in Service Playing (SPC) and as a Colleague of the American Guild of Organists (CAGO). She is a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Twin Cities Chapter of the AGO, and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians.
In her music studio, Kris assesses the needs of the student and creates an individualized curriculum to meet the student’s learning goals. Lessons are given on the 21-rank three-manual M. P. Mӧller pipe organ at Advent Lutheran Church.
If you are interested in taking organ lessons, you may contact Kris by calling 651-207-5149.
Andrew Thoreen
Guitar, Drums, Bass, Trombone etc.
Wednesday Evenings
Andrew Thoreen is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and teaching artist.
Andrew started both teaching private music lessons and working as a freelance musician when he was in high school. Over the last twenty years, Andrew has worn many hats as a freelance musician working as a session musician, touring artist, producer, sideman, and music director. Andrew’s B.A. is in trombone and jazz studies from the University of Northern Iowa, but after college he worked playing many instruments (bass, guitar, drums, piano, vocals) in many genres, from indie-pop to singer-songwriter/folk to worship music to jazz. These days he works as a full-time music instructor and lives in Saint Paul with his wife Julie and two children.
Open for new students