NEW VENUE: Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church
511 Groveland Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Tickets are $15 for non-members & $10 per ticket for groups of 8+. Students are now free.
Going to miss a concert? Purchase a Youtube replay for $8 or get access to the full Thursday Musical library of concerts by becoming a member. Get a preview of our replays by watching last year’s opening concert: https://youtu.be/vaJXJ5vqfgg
Or become a member.
Featuring 2025 Young Artist Scholarship Winner Cecilia Taggart, piano and Thursday Musical Members Will Richardson, cello; Ona Pinsonneault, clarinet & James Kurschner, piano*; and Amos Lucidi, piano.
*guest artist
Click the photo on the left for artist and program information.
Audience Health and Safety Requirements:
Masks will not be required but are welcomed and encouraged at Thursday Musical concerts.
Cecilia Taggart, 12 years old, has been playing the piano since the age of 3. She has shown remarkable prowess and maturity of technique and expression at the piano, even at such a young age.
She has placed in many competitions, including: 1st place in the 2025 Thursday Musical competition, 1st in the 2025 Dakota Valley Concerto and Aria Competition, 2nd place in the 2025 Schubert Club Competition, 2nd place in the Minneapolis Music Teachers Forum Mozart Piano Concerto Competition in 2024 and in 2025, 3rd place in the Wirth Festival Concerto Competition in 2024, Honorable Mention in the Saint Paul Piano Teacher’s Association Concerto Competition in 2023, and Honorable Mention in the State round of the Music Teachers National Association Competition in 2024. Most recently, Cecilia placed 3rd in the San Francisco International Piano Competition.
Cecilia made her orchestral debut in April, 2025, performing the 3rd movement of Mendelssohn’s G minor concerto with the Dakota Valley Orchestra. She has also performed in masterclasses with Orion Weiss, Alvin Chow, Angela Cheng, Kesenia Nosikova, Reed Tetzloff and Andrew Staupe.
She studies with Dr. Paul Wirth of the Wirth Center for Performing Arts.
For more information about Cecilia and her musical siblings, please visit www.taggartpiano.org.
Will Richardson has performed with a wide variety of classical and non-classical organizations from the Mill City Summer Opera to Weird Al Yankovic. He has been a member of the Duluth-Superior Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, Owensboro Symphony, Marion Philharmonic, and the Richmond Symphony. Past solo performances include Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, and Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Cellos with the Century College Orchestra, as well as the complete cello sonatas of Bohuslav Martinů for Thursday Musical’s Artist Series Concerts. He completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where his primary teachers were Helga Winold and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. He studied baroque cello with Christine Kyprianides. He plays a cello made by David Folland of Northfield, MN.
Herbert Johnson is a retired Professor of Piano and Director of Keyboard Activities at Bethel University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Currently, he is an instructor at the Laurel School of Music in Saint Paul. In addition to teaching students of all ages, Herbert is a sought - after accompanist throughout the Twin Cities, playing for worship services, student auditions and concert venues. He is a member of Minnesota Music Teachers Association, Music Teacher National Association and Thursday Musical. In addition to teaching and performing, Herbert is often asked to adjudicate various local and state piano competitions.
Ona Pinsonneault retired from Normandale Community College after having taught Music Theory and Ear Training there for many years. She holds a D.M.A. in clarinet performance from the University of Minnesota where she studied with John Anderson. She currently performs with the Normandale Concert Band and the OTL Clarinet Quartet. Ona’s scale study Clarinet Agility is available from Jeanné, Inc. and at Groth Music.
James Kurschner recently retired as a member of the music faculty at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, MN, where he served as the conductor of the concert band and taught a variety of music courses. Jim is the music director of the nationally award-winning Sheldon Theatre Brass Band, a position he has held since 2002. Jim is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where he studied piano with Carolyn Britton, and Northwestern University where he was a piano student of Mary Stanton.
Saint Paul based pianist Amos Lucidi is a dedicated musician renowned for his belief in music’s transformative potential. Holding a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota, under the guidance of Professor Alexander Braginsky, Amos is deeply committed to his creative practice and its impact on individuals and communities.
With over 26 years of experience, Amos has completed two master’s degrees in piano performance—one in England and another in Italy. His diverse educational experiences have enriched his understanding of music and shaped his artistic vision.
As an active performer, Amos’s repertoire spans from Baroque to contemporary, with a particular focus on works by Mexican composers such as Manuel M. Ponce, José Rolón and José Pablo Moncayo. He sees music as a catalyst for positive change and strives to promote Mexican musical heritage through his performances.
Additionally, Amos serves as a faculty member at the Laurel School of Music and Cyprus Classical Academy, where he imparts his knowledge and passion to his students. He believes in the importance of nurturing the next generation of artists and fostering a deeper appreciation for music within the community.
Amos’ dedication to developing his creative practice is evident in his ongoing pursuit of musical excellence and his commitment to sharing the transformative power of music with others.