Wirth Center For the Performing Arts

Specialties

The Wirth Center for the Performing Arts has been at the cutting edge of performing arts instruction in the upper Midwest since 1981. Offering an array of educational programs, from Early Childhood Instruction to the professional level, The Wirth Center offers music to all ages.

Our staff of teachers and instructors are both talented in their fields of music and dance, and hold a great love of performing arts. If your interest is piano, drums, singing, guitar, flute, violin, or dance, we will be sure to inspire you!

Serving Central Minnesota and the Twin Cities, our history is marked by the success of our students and the inspiration of our teachers. We are a fast growing, nationally recognized performing arts community right here in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and we’d love for you to be part of it!

History

Established in 1981.

In the spring of 1981, Dr. Paul Wirth was completing his second year of teaching at the College of Saint Benedict. One of his students was Julie Graves, wife of the successful developer Jim Graves. With their encouragement and assistance, Paul began working on an exciting project to develop a music school to bring his exceptional teaching ability to young pianists in Central Minnesota.

The school grew quickly and by the summer of 1983, with 125 students, Paul started working with prospective board members on incorporating as a not-​for-​profit. This process took seven exhausting years to complete. Along the way, the school moved three times until finally settling in its current location on the third floor of the former St. Mary’s Grade School located behind St. Mary’s Cathedral in downtown St. Cloud. This location required many volunteer hours and generous donations/​loans from supportive families and friends of the school to make it habitable.

Meet the Manager

Chris G.

Manager

Chris G. was a piano student at the Wirth Center while he was a senior in high school, later joined the teaching team as a piano instructor and now is the Executive Director as well as running his full piano studio. He enjoys sharing his love of music with his students and inspiring the next generation of musicians.