Bridget enthusiastically began formal musical studies at age eight when her parents purchased a Hammond organ. As soon as she would learn a few new chords, she would look in all the music books they had to see what other songs she could play. At age 9 while practicing, a friend of her mother's asked her: "Have you been playing the organ this whole time? I thought I was listening to the radio!"
When Bridget was 12 years old, her parents bought an upright piano and she discovered how expressive she could be on an acoustic instrument. She fell in love with playing the piano and would play for anyone who would listen.
Her family moved many times so Bridget had the opportunity to study piano and voice from many teachers in the United States, Canada and Rome, Italy. She sang in high school and college choirs. With the Carleton College Choir she sang in the soprano section for the public performance of Handels' Messiah, accompanied by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
While living with her parents in the Chicago area, she studied zither for two years from a Bavarian zitherist named Ludwig. At the instigation of her mother, Bridget was encouraged to get up and sing while Ludwig played his zither at a restaurant.
In 1984 Bridget graduated with a BA degree in music performance from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Her senior recital featured songs from Broadway shows like Pippin, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats and Evita, as well as George Gershwin favorites "I Got Rhythm" and "Summertime." She also performed her original songs "I Never Get Enough of You," "Autumn '83" and "Autumn Revisited."