We welcome you to join us Monday, August 10-Thursday, August 13, 2026, for a time of relaxation, revitalization, and musical sharing and growth. Our location is once again the peaceful wooded lakeside campus of Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota; we will again enjoy the meals, lodging, and hospitality of the Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse. New this year is an option to extend your stay to Friday, August 14. Details for our 2026 musical retreat are still unfolding. Check this website in the new year for more specifics and prices.
We wish you a time of fruitful practice, musical revitalization and relaxation.
Thank you for sharing your valuable time and your gift of music with us.
I didn’t notice those welcoming words on the program until I was back home again, putting away music and travel documents and going through papers. And there’s no better way to describe the experience of music@10,000lakes than these opening words.
Founded by artistic director Liz Wolff and co-director Jill Kilzer, music@10,000lakes is a retreat for pianists that takes place annually at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
The welcome greeting sets a focus of well-being, mutual respect and community that I haven’t experienced in this way before..
I’ve been to plenty of conferences and seminars that were inspiring and informative. Yet, there was often a feeling of underlying pressure, produced by participants’ eagerness to learn and get their money’s worth by taking in information, and the organizer’s eagerness to deliver. Tight schedules saw us rushing from lecture to masterclass, to our own lesson with a teacher and then to the concert in the evening, while trying to squeeze in an hour of practice here and there, all in the course of a single day.
The schedule at music@10,000lakes left plenty of open time for individual practice, communication with nature and good conversations with each other. On the first day of the retreat, Tadeusz Majewski gave a vivid presentation on Dances of Poland in Chopin’s music. On the second day, Rebecca Shockley shared ideas on “Mapping Music” – a technique she has developed to help with learning and memorizing music. The schedule of the retreat left plenty of space to let the information sink in.
Every evening from 7-9 we gathered for a “Musicale” in the choir room – the opportunity to play for each other. There was no program. Some participants were professional pianists and teachers. Others were people who love the piano and have taken up playing later in life. What brought us together: we all love music and we all love to play the piano – each at their individual level and ability.
Whoever felt like playing could do so – and that included Liz, who treated us to a complete performance of Brahms’ Schumann Variations on the final evening.
The spirit at music@10,000lakes was one of space, of calm and of being on the way with the shared goal of exploring, learning and, eventually, improving. Instead of playing a concert, we shared the journey that leads to the concert – and ultimately, the concert is only a milestone on a journey that knows no ending point. There’s always more to discover.
On the final evening Jill handed out blank greeting cards. She asked us to list our aspirations for the next year and write our address on the envelope. She will mail them to us in February – and hopefully, August will see us gathering at music@10,000lakes again.
Thank you, Liz and Jill, for creating this wonderful retreat, and thank you, fellow pianists, for being there and sharing.
This post is a reflection by Birgit Mazerath, pianist, teacher, writer and 2025 music@10,000lakes attendee. birgitmatzerath.com Thank you Birgit!
A retreat for professional pianists. Make plans to join us August 11-14 at St. John’s University. Beautiful setting. Inspired coaching. Free time for practice and relaxation. Nightly Musicale – practicing performing. http://www.music@musicat10000lakes.com.
This is your chance to join other adult pianists who want to practice, and perform unfinished/ polished repertoire for their colleagues. There’s plenty of time for relaxing, practicing, and revitalizing. In addition to being surrounded by supportive colleagues, a high point of the retreat experience is private coaching sessions with concert pianist and artistic director, Elizabeth Wolff. Attendees also love the Guesthouse views, hospitality and food on this nature soaked campus.
We are delighted to announce that our 2024 guest presenter is Dr. Veda Zuponcic, international performer and inspiring speaker/presenter. Her two forum topics:
Getting your student to AMB (Anna Magdalena Bach) and sonatinas in one year: Technique and Repertoire
How to Get from Here to There: What repertoire should we teach to bring a student to the Early Advanced literature in Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern style periods.
Save your space today! Registration Deadline is July 1. Looking forward to seeing you in August!
It’s official! Dates for 2024 are Monday, August 12th through Thursday, August 15! Be sure to save the date! See you in August next year. Until then, enjoy practicing and practicing performing!
The 2023 retreat dates are MONDAY August 14-Thursday August 17! It will be here before you know it!
There are still a few places available!
To reserve your place at the 2023 retreat register online here. https://musicat10000lakes.com/register. Send your deposit check of $50 to reserve your place at the 2023 retreat. Mail the deposit check made payable to “Music@10,000Lakes” to: 5707 138th Street Court, Apple Valley MN. 55124.
Balance of $330 is due August 1, 2023 (Double rooms and suites are available at a greater cost— checkout the website for more specifics.)
Save the dates: July 18-21, 2021. Our 2021 guest presenters will be Alexandra “Sasha” Eames and Dr. Paul Wirth.
St. John’s University welcomes us back to campus and asks us to observe the usual COVID 19 social distancing and sanitizing protocols. Meals are available in the campus Refectory (rather than Guesthouse dining room). All group gatherings take place in the Music Hall building.
The St. John’s Abbey Guesthouse has reserved 15 rooms for our group. Register and reserve your place early! (Unreserved rooms will be released after June 18, 2021.)
2021 retreat details are still under construction. Please watch the website for further updates!
Music@10,000Lakes retreat will once again be held on the beautiful St. John’s University campus. Our dates for 2020 are Sunday, August 9 through Wednesday, August 12. Save the Date! Looking forward to seeing you there.
music@10,000lakes 