Inspiring hearts, empowering youth, connecting community— through the power of music!

Mission

The Mid America Performing Arts Alliance (MAPAA) removes barriers to arts education by collaborating with local schools, businesses, and community organizations to provide high-quality music experiences free of charge. By making instrumental music accessible, MAPAA challenges traditional elitism and enriches underserved communities across Northeast Kansas.

Our programming brings together acclaimed guest artists and professional local musicians who teach, mentor, and perform alongside aspiring young Midwestern artists.

MAPAA’s mission is supported by three pillars: Outstanding Musical Performances, Unique Educational Outreach, and Robust Community Collaboration.

Performance

MAPAA showcases international and regional artists through a concert series of eight performances per season. By pairing world-renowned musicians with top regional performers, we create unique collaborative opportunities that inspire audiences and emerging artists alike.
Education
MAPAA fosters Midwestern talent through five ongoing programs:
1. Instrumental Petting Zoo (K–2): Mini-performances followed by hands-on exploration of instruments.
2. Inspiring Strings Project (Grades 3–5): Free group lessons, instruments, accessories, and performance opportunities for partnering Title I programs.
3. Youth Orchestra Festival (Middle/High School & Collegiate): An annual 5-day festival bringing students from around the country to learn and perform great chamber music and pieces from the standard orchestra repertoire.
4. Youth Competition (High School & Collegiate): Annual competition in strings, winds & brass, and piano, with cash prizes, performances, and publicity.
5. Visiting Artist Masterclass Series (Collegiate): Direct instruction with esteemed visiting faculty and professional networking opportunities.
Community Collaboration
MAPAA partners with schools, businesses, and local arts organizations to expand cultural life and deepen appreciation for live art music. By creating accessible, high-quality experiences, we engage diverse audiences and challenge the perception of instrumental music as elitist.

MAPAA Directors

A Kansas native, Jesse Henkensiefken is a cellist, conductor, and arts advocate dedicated to community building through classical music education. A frequent performer on both the podium and the concert stage, he is deeply committed to expanding access to high-quality musical experiences for underserved youth and to fostering collaboration, opportunity, and inclusive performance spaces for all. As Executive Director of the Mid-America Performing Arts Alliance, he continues the organization’s mission of creating accessible programming for communities throughout Lawrence, Kansas, and the greater Kansas City metro area.
Henkensiefken began his higher education at the University of Kansas, earning a Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Cello Performance. He also attended the Park University International Center for Music, where he received a Certificate in Music, and earned a second Master of Music in Symphonic and Opera Conducting from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. In the Summer of 2015, he studied at the Tchaikovsky State Moscow Conservatory under the direction of Anatoly Levin. His additional mentors include George Manahan, David Gilbert, Nikolai Uljanov, Paul Vermel, Leonard Slatkin, and Kurt Masur.
In 2022, Henkensiefken returned to the University of Kansas as Director of Sacred Music at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center. He served as Program Manager for Harmony Project KC, following his tenure as Director of Orchestras and String Studies at Kansas Wesleyan University. During that same period, he also held positions as Assistant Conductor and Principal Cellist of the Salina Symphony. Additional conducting experience includes serving as Assistant Conductor of the Manhattan School of Music Contemporary Opera Ensemble and Music Director of the Ars Viva Chamber Orchestra.
As a performer, Henkensiefken has concertized throughout Asia, Latin America, and the United States, collaborating with artists such as Clive Greensmith, Steven Doane, Zlatomir Fung, Paul Neubauer, Stephanie Chase, Christina Bouey, Tatiana Tessman, and Mark O’Connor. He was a Sorbel Award Winner at the Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Competition. He has served as principal cellist with ensembles including Ensemble du Monde (NYC), Empire State Sinfonia (Brooklyn), Kansas City Philharmonia, and the Salina Symphony, and was a substitute cellist for the New World Symphony.
His primary cello teachers include Edward Laut and Martin Story, and he has additionally worked with Yo-Yo Ma, Eric Rosenblith, Zuill Bailey, Peter Kondrashin, and members of the Kronos, Ying, Da Vinci, and Turtle Island String Quartets.

Tatiana Tessman has performed as soloist with orchestras around the world, including the World Symphony in Cincinnati, Shreveport Symphony, Bach’s Festival Orchestra, Manhattan School of Music Philharmonia, Uruguay Philharmonic Symphony, Panama Philharmonic Symphony, Korea W. Philharmonic the Russian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, upon a personal invitation from Maestro Mstislav Rostropovich.
On the competition front, Tessman has seen overwhelming success, claiming first prizes at the Glenn Gould International Piano Competition in Ostra (Italy), Santorini International Piano Competition (Greece), 55th Wideman International Piano Competition, the Missouri International Piano Competition and the 50th Cincinnati World Piano Competition, in addition to multiple other awards at the Panama International Piano Competition, the Florida International Piano competition and the Eisenberg-Fried Manhattan School of Music Concerto Competition in New York. Fueled by her victories on the international competition circuit, Tessman’s reputation as an outstanding pianist of exceptional value expanded rapidly, leading to engagements throughout Russia, Europe, Latin America, Cuba, Asia, and the United States. Her artistry has taken her to many of the world’s leading venues, including The Big Hall of Moscow Conservatory, The Seoul Arts Center in Korea, Italy’s La Scala, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie’s Weill Hall, where her performance was recorded and broadcast by New York’s WQXR Classical Music Station.
Tessman was admitted to the Moscow State Conservatory, where she studied with teachers such as Valery Kastelsky, Pavel Nersessian, Nikolai Lugansky, Sergei Dorensky (with whom she pursued her studies as a post-graduate student), and Mstislav Rostropovich. After finishing her Bachelor and Master degrees at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatoire, Tessman moved to the United States, where she earned her Doctoral degree at Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of Solomon Mikowsky, where she was a recipient of the Elda van Gelder Memorial Foundation Scholarship.
Dr. Tessman is the Artistic Director of the Mid-America Performing Arts Alliance.