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Piano gift to Luverne Street Music

Subhead
... is part of keeping Emily's memory alive
Lead Summary
By
Jason Berghorst

Emily Lodine Overgaard was a Luverne Street Music teacher, friend and supporter.
Now a donation made in her memory will continue to teach and support music students at the local studio.
LSM recently purchased a new Kawai acoustic piano to be used by piano students and to accompany students learning a variety of other instruments.
Overgaard passed away in June, five years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Her husband, Gary, knew that a memorial gift to Luverne Street Music would be a natural way to honor Emily’s legacy.
“She really enjoyed her time working there, teaching music and spreading her love of the arts to all ages,” Gary said. “She treated everyone as an equal and brought out the best in other people.”
Janine Papik, president of LSM, said the studio, which began in 2013, benefited greatly from Overgaard’s early involvement with the organization.
“It was wonderful to have a musician of her quality teaching here,” Papik said.  “She truly shared her talents with everyone.”
Overgaard was an internationally known professional opera singer when she met Gary on a flight to London in 1992.
After the couple married, Emily moved to the Overgaard farm in rural Magnolia and continued to both perform and teach music at area universities and at LSM.
“Being an artist was her life,” Gary said. “She continued to do what she loved.”
LSM now has a quality piano in each of its soundproof rehearsal rooms.
“We have a piano teacher who just can’t wait to begin teaching on this beautiful instrument,” Papik said.
Papik said the LSM board plans to have a formal recognition and dedication of the gift during its annual meeting celebration in January.
“We look forward to remembering Emily and her musical gifts,” she said.
“It’s hard to express what this gift means. … It’s like her reaching out and helping us keep her legacy going.”

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