Located in the heart of the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, the EcoCenter is a regional hub for nature and science exploration for all ages. A historic landmark with its distinctive Nautical Moderne architecture, the EcoCenter was originally constructed in the 1940s as a base for the Sea Scouts. Today, it serves as a thriving public nature center and community education resource as the headquarters of the Environmental Volunteers. Visitors will find plenty to explore: from hands-on activities and interactive displays, to green building features and rotating art exhibits, there is always something new to discover at the EcoCenter.

ABOUT LOUISE COSTIGAN-KERNS

Louise Costigan-Kerns has performed internationally as a concert pianist and collaborative pianist. Her concerts have been reviewed as “inspiring and technically amazing performances.” And “the orchestra played beautifully last night, in a joyful concert that included the magical contribution of Louise Costigan-Kerns.”

Ms. Costigan-Kerns began studying the piano at age three with her mother, Beatrice Costigan, in Blairmore, Alberta, Canada. At age five she gave her first public recital and began competing in Alberta Music Festivals, where she was a consistent winner through high school. Ms. Costigan-Kerns attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where she received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees Pi Kappa Lambda. She was on the faculty of the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and Founding Director of the New England Conservatory Extension Division Opera Studio. She studied piano with Irma Wolpe, opera with John Moriarty and Boris Goldovsky and art song repertoire with Allen Rogers. Ms. Costigan-Kerns maintained an active performing career in the Boston area as a solo pianist and collaborative pianist. Over the years she was a member of the Opera Department at Boston University, piano faculty at Phillips Exeter Academy and Artist in Residence at Brandeis University.

Ms. Costigan Kerns was recently awarded the honor of being named a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) by the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). Her students are consistent winners in Bay Area, Regional and National competitions in both piano and voice. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Ms. Costigan-Kerns has been a member of the piano faculty in the Stanford University Department of Music from 2021 to 2025 and a voice/opera coach and recital pianist at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music from 2018 to 2023. Ms. Costigan-Kerns is active as a recital pianist, opera coach and accompanist for singers and instrumentalists. Her Bay Area performances with orchestra include performances with the Redwood Symphony, Palo Alto Philharmonic, Santa Cruz Symphony, Winchester Orchestra and the New Millenniun Chamber Orchestra.

Ms. Costigan-Kerns’ first solo piano CD, “My Favorite Performances,” was released in 2004. “Piano With Passion,” was released in 2007 and “Into the Light,” was released in 2011. All are available on iTunes/Apple Music and cdbaby.com. She can be seen performing Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Mozart, Shostakovich and Harrison on YouTube. You can stream her music and follow her on Spotify.