A pianist with “an artistic ferocity that captivated and astonished listeners” (Waverly Newspapers), Clare Longendyke is a soloist, chamber musician, and fearless advocate for new music who brings daring repertoire and thoughtful storytelling to the concert stage. Her performances are marked by imaginative programming, charismatic stage presence, and a gift for weaving together contemporary works and classical favorites.

In 2024, Clare released her debut solo CD, …of dreams unveiled, featuring music by Claude Debussy, Amy Williams, and Anthony R. Green. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Traditional Classical chart and was praised as “a work of remarkable pianistic invention” (The WholeNote), “delightfully daring,” and “a CD that should not be missed” (EarRelevant). The recording continues to receive airplay on classical radio stations nationwide and has been lauded by music critics across North America.

A passionate advocate for the music of our time, Clare creates programs that pair beloved composers of the past—Beethoven, Debussy, Robert and Clara Schumann, and Amy Beach, to name a few—with voices shaping the future of classical music. She has commissioned over 30 new works and performed more than 250 world premieres, collaborating closely with composers to create music that reflects the complexity and diversity of our time.

Highlights of Clare’s 2025/26 season include concerto appearances with the Danville Symphony of Illinois, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, Symphony New Hampshire, and the Atlanta Contemporary Music Collective. Past performance highlights include Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, The Schubert Club of Minnesota, University of Chicago Presents, and The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. She has recently appeared as a soloist with the Mankato Symphony, Rochester Symphony, Symphonicity, and Oak Ridge Symphony, and her playing has been featured on NPR’s Performance Today.

Clare has lived and studied on both American coasts and abroad, earning degrees from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (MM, DM). An ardent Francophile and fluent French speaker, she received the Fulbright–Harriet Hale Woolley Award in the Arts to study at the École normale de musique in Paris. She has served as Artist-in-Residence at the University of Chicago and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and continues to engage deeply with communities as a performer, educator, and advocate for equity on the classical concert stage.

Whether from the stage or in conversation, Clare invites audiences into the heart of her artistry—one that builds bridges between tradition and transformation and brings the concert experience vividly to life.

Once merely a parking lot, the new Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center cuts a stunning silhouette across the skyline, boasting lovely architecture melded with artistic functionality that will host generations of entertainment. 

In 2016, a bond approved by the residents of the five counties served by Iowa Lakes Community College, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, and Palo Alto, helped fund the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center.

The completion of this major construction project has reinvigorated music and performing arts on the Estherville Campus of Iowa Lakes Community College and in the local community. 

500-SEAT THEATRE

The centerpiece of the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center is a 500-seat theater with an open mezzanine that accommodates up to 105 people for a seated meal, or more for standing cocktails or intermission snacks. The performing arts center also includes a box office and area for concessions. 

“The line of sight from the seats to the stage is incredible. There are no bad seats in the house! We are beyond excited for the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center to open, so we can begin sharing concerts, musicals, state-wide events, and more in a place with permanent sound and lighting.” 

Carol Ayres-Stueven, Former Instrumental Music Professor

BACKSTAGE, COSTUMES, LIGHTING & SOUND

Backstage, instead of the standard green room, Iowa Lakes opted to create a blue-note space for performers and speakers to await their cues and to host small private events. Additionally, a new costume area provides plenty of space to sew, launder, and store costumes. The theater also incorporates a state-of-the art theatrical rigging system and an advanced lighting and sound system.