Katie Lutes Widen

Katie Widen has spent over a decade as a general music teacher at Highlands Elementary in Edina. At Highlands, she has taught K-5 classes, multi-age classes, leads a ukulele club, and has directed her 3rd-5th grade choir of over 100 singers. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from St. Olaf College, and her Master's of Education in Differentiated Instruction from Concordia University-St. Paul. Katie is certified in Orff Schulwerk from the University of St. Thomas, and Kodaly Level 1 from DePaul University, and is certified in World Music Pedagogy from the Smithsonian Folkways program at St. Thomas. 

Katie directs a children's camp through Morningside Theater Company in the summers, where she writes and leads 5-7 year olds in an original musical. She also is a co-director of the pre-school Cherub Choir singers at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church. Katie loves working with young children and their families, and was happy to be certified to teach Music Together in January of 2020. She believes a music class should consist of lots and lots of PLAY when it comes and developing a love of making music that will last a lifetime. 

Katie lives in South Minneapolis with her musical family. She's the daughter of two professional pianists, sister of a guitarist, and her entire extended family is made up of musicians and music educators as well. Naturally, she married a musician, Rick, who is a guitar instructor, and the banjo player in Four Pints Shy (an Irish band) and The Como Avenue Jug Band. He also is a free-lance writer about music theory, and writes musicals. Katie and Rick have two young kids, Rosie and Jerry, who have thoroughly enjoyed all of the Music Together classes they have taken at Ensemble Music over the years.  

Katie has a special love of musical theater and Disney movies. In another life she would have loved nothing more than to be a Disney Princess at Disney World and she tries to channel that magic in her teaching personality. She can't wait to make music with you and your little ones!