Yvonne Cloutier

Yvonne Cloutier, originally from Superior, WI, now of Henderson, NV, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin/Superior with a BS degree in elementary education (minors in music and art,) and a MSE degree in educational administration. She is a former elementary school teacher, elementary school principal, and a Wisconsin Artist-in-Education.

In Superior, Ms Cloutier wrote a music theory curriculum entitled Learning About Music is a Certain Happiness. Some of her other writings include poetry, ballads, and an easy-to-read biography of Scott Joplin.

Piano has been Ms Cloutier’s passion ever since she can remember and likes to instill in her students this same love for playing the piano. Over the years, many of her students have received honors for their performances.

Yvonne also has a love for ragtime piano. She performs in concert and has performed at many of the major ragtime festivals in the United states and Canada. One of her most recent performances was for the Las Vegas Music Teachers Association, (LVMTA.) 

She was co-founder of the Lake Superior Ragtime Society in Superior, founded the Arizona Ragtime Society, now known as the Ragtime/Jazztyme Society. While in AZ, she developed and chaired ragtime festivals for the Phoenix Music Teachers Association, (PMTA,) adjudicated and did piano performances. She also gives workshops for piano teachers on how to conduct a ragtime festival.

While living in Temecula CA , she co-founded the Temecula Valley Music Teachers Association, (TVMTA.) (LVMTA, PMTA and TVMTA are all affiliates of Music Teachers National Association, MTNA.)

Making CD recordings of her ragtime music is an enjoyment she pursues. Her first recordings, eight cassettes, are out of print. However, she has three CDs entitled:

It’s a Ragtime Kind of Love
Hot Tomatoes, Sweet Melons
Something Doing

They sell for $15 and can be purchased from her. Her book, Scott Joplin, King of Ragtime, sells for $20 and can also be purchased from her or at the festival.