A dazzling array of musical talents will be showcased throughout the season during these hour-long programs, organized by John Beutel and sponsored by the Stoughton Area Senior Center. All Music Appreciation events are free and open to the public.

With a unique profile in education, performance, research, and entrepreneurship, pianist Alissa Freeman has been lauded for her excellence in each of these arenas. She has been the recipient of two Presser Awards, the Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship, numerous full-tuition academic and music scholarships, the MarySue Harris Teacher Fellowship, invitations to present for many large national and international arts and music organizations, and several awards in national and state piano competitions. 

Both in her personal and professional life, one of Alissa’s goals is to understand barriers to inclusivity and find creative ways to remove them. Her passion project, ||:HerClassical:|| promotes music written by 18th-century women composers by compiling and producing recordings, editions, and teaching resources. Though she is dedicated to finding works outside of the canon, she also enjoys tackling complex standards: she recently recorded the entire set of Chopin’s Op. 25 etudes, and her concerto performances have included the Michigan premiere of Doreen Carwithen’s Piano Concerto with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra in 2022, as well as award-winning performances of Prokofiev’s 2nd Piano Concerto and Rachmaninov’s 2nd Piano Concerto.

Alissa received her Doctoral and Masters Degrees in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Michigan. Her instructors have included Logan Skelton, Scott Holden, John Ellis, Matthew Bengtson, and Maria Prinz. Alissa currently teaches at Panoramic Piano Studio, Beloit College, and for WYSO's Music Makers. She enjoys going on long hikes with her husband, Anthony, and dog, Ruby.

Free-will Donation