Reisinger Conservatory Of Music

46 Years, Three Studios, and a Gift for Keeping Students at the Piano

Carolyn Reisinger has been teaching piano in the southern Twin Cities suburbs long enough to have watched her former students earn bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in music. Now based in Lakeville, Minnesota, she operates the Reisinger Conservatory of Music with the kind of accumulated expertise that only comes from nearly five decades of work at the keyboard and in the lesson room. She holds a Master's degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Minnesota State University Moorhead, a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from Valley City State University in North Dakota, and a permanent professional national certificate from the Music Teachers National Association — a credential awarded to a relatively small number of teachers who meet the organization's highest standards.

What makes Carolyn's résumé unusual isn't just its length — it's its range. She has served as an adjudicator for state and national piano and theory examinations, meaning she is regularly trusted to evaluate other students and teachers against professional benchmarks. She is certified in private piano, theory, ear training, composition, and music education, and has completed coursework in the Taubman method, a technique specifically designed to help musicians play without pain or injury. She has also been a certified Kindermusik professional and a WunderKeys teacher since 2014, giving her tools to reach the youngest beginners. On the performance side, she has held long-term playing positions at House of Hope Church in Saint Paul, Byerly's, Macy's, Epworth Methodist Church, and Visser's Pianos, and has been hired as a pianist by catering companies and for private events throughout the tri-state area.

In the lesson room, one theme comes up again and again in what parents say about Carolyn: she lets students have a say in what they learn. Rather than moving every student through the same fixed repertoire, she builds lessons around music the student actually wants to play — and then uses that material as the vehicle for teaching real technique. One student's mother described watching her son advance in both skill and enthusiasm because Carolyn balanced his chosen songs with appropriately challenging pieces. Another parent noted that Carolyn has even written original pieces tailored specifically for individual students. This kind of customization requires a teacher who is fluent enough in the material to improvise, and Carolyn's performance background makes that possible.

Carolyn also has an established reputation for working with students who have physical or cognitive disabilities — an area where relatively few private piano teachers have formal experience. Multiple reviews mention this directly, describing her patience and her ability to structure lessons so that students with special needs feel genuinely successful rather than accommodated. One reviewer described years of lessons for a disabled daughter, noting that Carolyn was not only patient and supportive but an effective teacher throughout. Another described an adult husband with special needs who looks forward to every lesson because Carolyn consistently finds ways to build his sense of accomplishment. This is not incidental to her teaching — it reflects a deliberate part of her practice.

Beyond individual lessons, Carolyn offers preparation for state and national testing programs, college auditions, and music scholarship searches — a package of services that positions the Reisinger Conservatory as something closer to a full music education center than a single-teacher studio. She accepts students as young as five, teaches through advanced levels, and offers online lessons as well. For families in the Lakeville and Dakota County area looking for a piano teacher with the credentials, experience, and flexibility to meet a wide range of students where they are, Carolyn Reisinger is among the most thoroughly prepared options available.

View Full Profile & Contact →