To me music is an exploration of emotion. It can in turn spark joy, sadness, bleakness, abundance, anger, reconciliation, and infinite other emotional spaces. As I teach, I am always mindful that music is more than a gymnastic activity. While there is significant physical training involved in mastering an instrument, I believe this training is all in the service of developing tools that can be used to express whatever is in the heart of the player. With this as a given, I believe it is very important to foster a teaching environment where the student can be emotionally open and safe.

Andrus Madsen is an experienced teacher, having worked with beginner and advanced students since the 1990s. Andrus has taught lessons on piano, harpsichord, and organ at the Eastman School of Music, Boston University, and Brigham Young University. He has presented master classes at Boston University, the University of Cincinnati, Brigham Young University, University of Texas Austin, Florida Gulf Coast University, Eastman School of Music, the Amherst Early Music Festival, and Fresno Pacific University. His primary mentors have been Arthur Haas, Peter Sykes, and Jacque Ogg.

Andrus Madsen is an active performer on the piano, organ, harpsichord, clavichord and fortepiano. He is the founding director of Newton Baroque and has played with A Far Cry, Boston Baroque, Worcester Chamber Music, the Baroque Orchestra of Colorado, the Rhode Island Symphony, and Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. Madsen is also known for his eloquent Baroque-style improvisation. He strives to play written repertoire as if he is improvising, while his improvisations often sound as if they had been notated. His recording of keyboard music by Pachelbel has received significant critical acclaim. “Superb recordings of superb instruments by a musician who deserves to be better-known.” (Michael Barone of Pipedreams) This album, played on organ, harpsichord, and clavichord is available on Raven CD Recordings.

B.M., Organ Performance and Pedagogy,  Brigham Young University

M.M, Harpsichord Performance, Eastman School of Music

M.M, Historical Musicology, Eastman School of Music

Performers Certificate in Harpsichord, Eastman School of Music

D.M.A, Harpsichord Performance, Eastman School of Music