Caitlin Brutger – piano

Caitlin began taking piano lessons at the age of 4, after convincing her first teacher to make an exception to her minimum age requirement and start lessons 2 years early. Now, Caitlin has been playing for almost 30 years. She grew up outside of Annapolis, MD where she took lessons with JoAnna Washburn, a graduate of the Peabody Institute and student of Leon Fleisher, through which Caitlin shares a direct student/teacher line to Beethoven. Caitlin began studying with Dr. Paul Wirth in 2004, and went on to study with Grammy-nominated pianist Duane Hulbert at the University of Puget Sound and Shannon Loehrke at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. Caitlin has a B.A. degree from the College of Saint Benedict in Studio Art with minors in Music and Literary Studies. She began teaching at the Wirth Center in 2015 and is trained in Dr. Wirth’s gravity-based technique. Caitlin continues to study piano and perform, and she records with Mike Opitz, Professor Emeritus of the College of Saint Benedict.

Caitlin’s teaching style is adaptive to each student, emphasizing technique from a young age. Lessons are centered on technique and repertoire, introducing a variety of styles while highlighting each student’s interests. She also incorporates music history, music theory, and composition into her lessons. Caitlin welcomes students of all ages and skill levels, from brand new beginners to adults.