Private Instruction
Musicianship
Dr. Marie Alatalo has been a member of the Music Institute’s piano faculty since
September 2017 and is currently the Chicago campus director.
Dr. Marie Alatalo has appeared in concerts throughout the United States and
Japan, capturing attention with a repertoire embracing both classical and
contemporary literature. She has been heard in Chicago at such popular
venues as Mayne Stage, Music Institute of Chicago, Chopin Theater, Pick-
Staiger, Pianoforte, and more. Her interest in contemporary music has
resulted in performances of works by Bolcom, Rzewski, and others, and
includes Chicago premieres of Lee Hoiby’s piano quartet “Dark Rosaleen”
and George Crumb’s “Sun and Shadow” with singer Barbara Martin. Her
performance of George Crumb’s Makrokosmos, Book 1 at the Music Institute
brought critical acclaim, describing Alatalo as having “a special sort of
pianistic, and extra-pianistic, virtuosity”.
Her recordings, available on streaming services, include “Sonatas”, featuring
the genre from Scarlatti through Prokofiev, the complete Chopin Preludes,
supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, and a third project with
pieces by American composers. She can be heard on the SONY release,
“Live in Osaka”, with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, playing Joseph
Schwantner’s “… and the mountains rising nowhere”.
Alatalo’s distinguished teaching career was recently recognized by the Royal
Conservatory of Music with a Teacher of Distinction award. She is a member
of the Conservatory’s College of Examiners and is named as a Founding
Teacher in the US. She is a former faculty member of the Interlochen Center
for the Arts and currently on faculty at the Music Institute of Chicago.
Alatalo is the recipient of numerous awards and competition prizes, including
fellowships to the Chautauqua Institution and the Eastman School of Music
and funding from City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. She was
granted both music and academic scholarships for her university and
conservatory studies.
Alatalo was raised in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and graduated from the
Interlochen Arts Academy and the University of Michigan, and earned the
Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music.
Doctor of Musical Arts, Eastman School of Music
Bachelor of Music, University of Michigan
High school diploma, Interlochen Arts Academy
Teacher of Distinction, Royal Conservatory of Music
Fellowships: Eastman School of Music, Chautauqua Institution
Artist in Residence (former), Cliff Dwellers Club
Recordings on iTunes, Spotify, and other streaming platforms
SONY recording "Live in Osaka" with the Eastman Wind Ensemble
Community Arts Assistance Program Grants (Chicago)
Two Thousand Notable American Women
The World Who’s Who of Women
Quarterfinalist - Concert Artist Guild New York Competition
Professional Development Grant |Chicago Area Music Teachers Association
Various competition prizes
Marie Alatalo has taught piano for over thirty years. Her primary goals are to provide expert individualized instruction and to help students realize their unique musical voice. Students of Marie Alatalo learn the rudiments of music and harmony. The piano is approached with a natural hand position and a technique that focuses on flexibility. Students learn effective and productive practice techniques and are trained to become self-sufficient pianists. Encouragement is given to make piano and music a part of everyday life, to enjoy lessons and to transfer the self-discipline and confidence gained in piano study to other parts of life.
Marie is an avid swimmer and cook/baker. She was a finalist in the Christmas cookie competition at Foodstuffs!
Favorite quotes:
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Rachmaninoff
"Good enough is not good enough"