Grinsteiner to play virtual concert Nov. 5 at Edina store

Back in May, Amy Grinsteiner performed a solo piano recital that was streamed live on the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University Facebook page from the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater at SJU.

Just over six months later, she’s performing another solo piano virtual concert.

Grinsteiner, an associate professor of music (piano) at CSB and SJU, will perform a one-hour virtual concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 from Schmitt Music in Edina, Minnesota. The concert will be available on the Schmitt Music Facebook page.

Schmitt Music stores around the country have been asked by Steinway Piano to stage these concerts. Grinsteiner, who is performing the first concert staged in Minnesota, will introduce the music and talk a bit about each selection.

Her concert will include selections from French composers Francis Poulenc (“Four Improvisations”) and Maurice Ravel (two movements from “Le Tombeau de Couperin – Prelude and Menuet”); an arrangement of George Gershwin’s “Embraceable You” and “Fascinatin’ Rhythm” by Earl Wild; Samuel Barber’s “Nocturne;” Bill Evans “Peace Piece” and Gershwin’s classic “Rhapsody in Blue.”

Piano concerts in this series have previously been held at Schmitt Music stores in Omaha, Denver and Kansas City.

“I wanted to stream a short recital in hopes that people would be interested in sitting together, at home and across the Internet, to listen together,” she said back in April in advance of her May show. “Classical music has a way of helping us be still while giving us a moment to reflect and consider.

“As a performer, I am interested in creating a space for people to be able to turn inward and let music move through them. Since we can’t gather together, this streaming recital seemed like the next best thing,” Grinsteiner said.

Grinsteiner has taught at CSB and SJU since 2012 with classes in studio piano, classical piano, collaborative piano, piano pedagogy and music through history.

Born and raised in Montana, she holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Washington, Diploma of Postgraduate Performance and L.R.A.M. Teaching Certificate from the Royal Academy of Music in London, a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music and Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Colorado, Boulder.