Historical
Piano Concerts Series
About
the Musicians
Gail Olszewski
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Gail
Olszewski has been heard in solo and chamber recitals on piano, fortepiano,
harpsichord, organ, harmonium, celesta and synthesizer throughout the United
States, Canada, Europe, Central America and Australia. Performances
include an appearance as piano soloist in the Clara Schumann‘s Piano Concerto
with the Minneapolis Philharmonic (Minnesota) in April 2002 and as harpsichord
soloist in J. S. Bach’s Concerto in C Major for Three Harpsichords with
the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) in March 2003. She presented
a recital of solo fortepiano music by English women composers of the late
18th century at the Southeast Historical Keyboard Society meeting at Durham,
North Carolina in March 2004 and performed a solo recital in November 2004
at Wesley Music Centre in Canberra, Australia to favorable reviews.
Gail has lived in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota area since 1987 and
she has played with numerous groups there, including the Minnesota Orchestra
and the Phipps Oratorio Society (Hudson, Wisconsin). She has served
as music director, rehearsal and show pianist for Ordway Productions, Nautilus
Music Theater, Minnesota Opera and Northstar Opera. She is a founding
member of The WolfGang, an authentic-instrument chamber group and of “womenperformhers”,
showcasing works of women composers. Gail has written musical reviews
for the International Alliance of Women in Music and has presented lecture/recitals
for many schools and professional organizations in the United States.
In September 2004 she presented a lecture/recital at the Australian National
University in Canberra on Viennese Classic sonatas, and in October 2002
she presented a lecture/recital on the 19th-century French composer Louise
Farrenc at a symposium on women in the arts at Millsaps College, Jackson,
Mississippi. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University
of New Hampshire, a Master of Music from Boston University and the degree
Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Minnesota. Her instructors
have included Margo Garrett and Karl Paulnack for modern piano; Penelope
Crawford, David Breitman, Geoffrey Lancaster and Jacques Ogg for fortepiano;
and Jacques Ogg, Arthur Haas, Layton James and Lynda Copeland for harpsichord.
Gail is on the faculty of MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis where
she teaches piano, harpsichord, chamber music and musical theater.