About Piano Con Brio
Music That Moves You
Meet Maria
With more than 15 years of teaching experience, Maria is a Steinway-affiliated teacher through the
Steinway Teacher & Educational Partner (STEP) Program.
She also remains actively engaged in the music education community through memberships with the Music Teachers of Hyde Park, the Chicago Area Music Teachers Association, the Illinois State Music Teachers Association, and the Music Teachers National Association.
Maria Welch earned her Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance with a Certificate in Piano Pedagogy from Carthage College in 2003. A versatile pianist, accompanist, instructor, and choral singer, she has participated in ensembles and summer programs at Luther College, Concordia Moorhead, and the Boston Conservatory, with mentors from Oberlin Conservatory and Northwestern University shaping her formative years as both a performer and an educator.
As a performer, Maria brings the piano to weddings, recitals, worship services, and special occasions of all kinds — offering solo performance, accompaniment, and ensemble collaboration with the same classically trained excellence and expressive depth she brings to the concert stage.
As a teacher, Maria works with students across a wide range of ages and musical backgrounds, conducting recitals and teaching an expansive repertoire that spans classical, jazz, and contemporary genres. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes the balance between musicality and technique, incorporating essential concepts from music theory and history.
Maria established her Hyde Park Piano Studio in 2017 while pursuing her PhD in Ethnomusicology at the University of Chicago. Above all, she believes that music should be a source of joy, growth, and connection — for students, families, and audiences alike.
Services
Studio Piano Lessons
Experience personalized piano lessons in a welcoming Hyde Park studio where children, young adults, and adults are encouraged to grow at their own pace. Every lesson is thoughtfully designed to develop technical skill, musicality, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for music.
