RIVER FALLS – Beloved local piano and voice teacher, choir director and bell choir director Deanna Roen of Prescott is being posthumously honored with both a commissioned suite of piano pieces and a two-day music event at UW-River Falls on Sept. 15 and 16, 2023.

Two generous and anonymous donors provided the funds for the commission and event, which will include the premier performance of a brand-new suite of piano pieces, composed in honor of Roen by one of her favorite composers, Kevin Olson. Dr. Olson has published over 200 books and solos, and is an active performer and piano professor at Utah State University.

“We were absolutely thrilled when we received news of the gift, and the second gift was an equally wonderful surprise,” said Mary Anne Olvera, president of the St. Croix Valley Music Teachers Association, where Roen was a founding member, and through which she was recently honored as a Foundation Fellow.

The commissioned suite, titled “Scenes from the Northwoods,” is inspired by Roen’s love of her cabin and the surrounding area. It will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 at Kleinpell Hall, UWRF, by four of Deanna’s former students: Connor Hince, Tessa Johnson, Ashley Keller and Rory Zuehlsdorf.

Surrounding the concert are additional events for piano teachers and piano students, most of which are free and open to the public. These events include a workshop for piano teachers on motivational psychology, composing and the art of interpretation, and student-oriented master classes on composition, all of which will be led by composer Kevin Olson.

More information about and reservations for these events can be found at

https://www.scvmta.com/new-page-2 or by emailing Teresa Lindahl at btbjgf@gmail.com.

The public is encouraged to attend any of all of the events, which will celebrate and memorialize Roen,

who touched so many lives with her love of music.

Submitted by St. Croix Valley Music Teachers Association