The mission of PianoArts is to develop innovative ways to foster appreciation and performance of classical music. This is accomplished by identifying and training new generations of pianists with exceptional musical and verbal communication skills, preparing them for solo and collaborative performances, and presenting them to diverse audiences.
The highest profile event that fulfills this mission is the biennial North American Piano Competition and Music Festival. Open to pianists of all nationalities ages 17 through 22, this challenging competition offers support to young musicians as they continue their education, give performances, develop programs, and build careers. The next North American Competition will be held May 25 through June 3, 2026. Semi-finalists perform duos with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra musicians, and the three Finalists perform concertos with the MSO.
Striving to bring classical music to the widest possible audience, PianoArts education programs are tailored to individual schools and communities. Through a PianoArts fellowship program, selected winners in the North American competition return to Milwaukee to partner with local educators and share their artistry in Wisconsin schools. In years opposite the North American competition, PianoArts partners with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra to present the Wisconsin Youth Piano Competition, for pianists ages 10-16. The next Wisconsin Competition will be held in 2025.
All competition events are in keeping with the PianoArts philosophy that successful 21st century concert pianists are master communicators – collaborating with a variety of partner artists on stage while engaging diverse audiences with conversations about the music.
PianoArts presented its first competition in 1999 to identify, showcase, and guide young pianists at a turning point in their artistic lives. But the seeds for the organization were planted in 1994, when a group of professional musicians met to discuss changing audiences for classical music and the preparation of young musicians for these audiences. They believed that the coming generation must be able to both speak about and play their music convincingly to deepen the musical experience and, ultimately, build audiences for classical music. They were concerned about the lack of collaboration between pianists and orchestral musicians and believed that performing professionals are responsible for helping young musicians prepare for music careers.
These seven visionaries-Sue Medford, then director of education for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; Gretta Assaly, founder and director of Children’s Theatre School, Inc.; Audrey Baird, then director of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Group Sales and Audience Relations; Lee Dougherty Ross, pianist, vocalist, and founder of the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota; Stefanie Jacob, Prometheus Trio pianist and Wisconsin Conservatory of Music faculty; Judit Jaimes, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee now retired professor of piano; and Wilanna Kalkhof, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra pianist, created a competition that has since been instrumental in the growth of exceptional young talent. When conductor and pianist Andrews Sill joined the group in 1997, plans for the first national competition began to take shape.
A large portion of Ms. Medford’s career was spent with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, where she was the Director of Education and Education Concert Manager for over 23 years. Many of the education programs she developed became national models, reaching over one million Wisconsin children and preparing thousands more to become educators and music professionals.
Prior to her MSO position, Ms. Medford was the Director of Audience Development for the Florentine Opera and the National Representative for Summy-Birchard Music Publishing Company. In the latter position, she organized, promoted, lectured, and performed for teachers at college seminars and in workshops from coast to coast. Ms. Medford was also on the faculty of the New School for Music Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where she taught in both the preparatory and professional departments. She is a graduate of Western Carolina University, and the professional program of the New School for Music Study where she studied with its founders, Frances Clark and Louise Goss as well as Richard Chronister, Elvina Pearce, and David Kraehenbuehl. She is currently on the faculty of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.
Joanna works with a wide variety of schools to bring PianoArts programming to classrooms across Milwaukee.
Dr. Thiago Ferreira is an active pianist and educator whose career as a soloist and collaborative pianist spans the United States and Brazil. He regularly performs with faculty artists at national and international conferences and Chamber Music Festivals. His performances have gained recognition for repertory variety, musical sensitivity, clarity of expression, and strong communication with audiences. A committed advocate for underrepresented, Latin American, and contemporary composers, Dr. Ferreira frequently features their music in his concert programs. Additionally, he has worked with the renowned Brazilian and award winning choir Ars Nova – Coral da UFMG, participating in performances of the highest artistic and musical level.
Dedicated to his role as artist-teacher, Dr. Ferreira is a passionate educator who is frequently invited to present master classes throughout the country and abroad. He serves as a Piano Faculty at North Dakota State University, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, coordinates the piano class sequence, and supervises graduate teaching assistants in the piano area. Dr. Ferreira is deeply committed to teaching and mentorship. His pedagogical approach emphasizes strong technical foundations, thoughtful musicianship, effective problem-solving strategies, and meaningful performance experiences for both students and audiences. As an experienced professor, he has worked with students from diverse musical and social backgrounds, many of whom have gone on to become successful musicians and educators.
President
(Vacant)
Vice President
Jennifer Gettel
Secretary
Allison Shinnick Keep
Treasurer
Steven Ayers
Governing Board
Louise Goss*
Samuel Holland
Christopher Taylor
Susan Wadsworth
Alumni Chair
Jacob Ertl
Directors
Abiola (Michael) Adetoro
Jeri-Mae Astolfi
Patricia Ellis
Ingrid Hanson-Popp
Allison Shinnick Keep
Maria Zellmer
Liesl Larson
Kaju Lee
Juan Pablo Horasitas
Margaret Boulanger Hagedorn
Alison Guthrie
Liesl Larson
Diane Grace
Tyler Batzko
*In memoriam
Finalists perform concertos with the renowned Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in the majestic Bradley Symphony Center.
Find out more about our upcoming concerts in the Milwaukee area!
Finalists perform concertos with the renowned Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in the majestic Bradley Symphony Center.