Carolyn has been teaching piano students of all ages for more than 30 years. Her experience includes teaching private lessons in her home starting in high school, teaching for Nancy Theilen School of Piano for 9 years and teaching at Batchelder's School Piano and Organ for 19 years.

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As a child growing up in Janesville, Wisconsin, Carolyn trained with a private teacher affiliated with Sherwood Music School of Chicago. Her lessons began at age 8 and continued through high school. She earned her teaching certificate upon completion of the course of study.

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During high school, Carolyn was the church pianist all four years for her church in Janseville.

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Graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education led Carolyn to teach fourth and fifth grades in Madison, Wisconsin, for 5 years before marrying and moving to Norway with her husband, Terje. Three years were spent in Norway before moving back to the Chicago area where her husband pursued his career as a geotechnical engineer. The family was temporarily transferred to Tehran, Iran, for 7 months where they adopted a daughter, Maria. After returning to Illinois, a son, John, was added to the family.

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After moving to Rapid City in 1987, Carolyn was employed by Rapid City Area Schools as a substitute teacher and worked there for more than 30 years.

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Carolyn is a member of South Canyon Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway (where she occasionally teaches Norwegian language) and the Black Hills Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution. She is interested in her family's genealogy and has compiled a large collection of photos and stories. Her children, grandchildren, gardening inside and outside, traveling and of course, playing the piano are her other interests.