Music and Entertainment

Nathan Barclay, aka the “Master of Keys”, is a self-taught musician with a developmental disability. Nathan started playing the piano when he was just 5 years old. He doesn’t read music, but he knows more than 100 songs by ear, which he learns by watching YouTube videos and matching the sound. Nathan enjoys sharing his talent with others and is lucky to be able to showcase this talent through his employment. Nathan has stated, “I strongly believe everybody can in fact work, no matter what your disability is.”

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A wide variety of music can be heard in Jack Barrett's compositions. Throughout his life, he has explored avenues of classical, progressive rock, funk, pop, R&B and jazz. All of these have left their permanent mark on his sound. Raised in the Twin Cities, Barrett studied at St. John's University where he earned a degree in piano performance. There, he was drawn to the sounds of Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett among others as he delved further into the sound and practice of jazz. Since then, his path has brought him to the sounds of modern players like Brad Mehldau and Tigran Hamasyan. 

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Pianist Janie Becker is a native of Southwestern Minnesota. She has been an active composer, performer, church musician and private instructor in the Minneapolis area since her graduation from the College of St. Benedict. Janie has been arranging, and composing original music for piano, since 2000. She currently has two Christmas collections, Angels and The Holly and the Ivy, a collection of American favorites entitled HeartSong America, a collection of Irish favorites entitled HeartSong Ireland and three collections of original piano solos, Ports of Call, Forever Friends, and Echoes of Love.

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Billingsley is a versatile and extremely talented keyboardist, composer, bandleader, songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and educator. A Racine, Wisconsin, native living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Billingsley is founder and executive director of The Billingsley School of Music and Arts, an academy that offers K-12 students access to arts education. Billingsley also tours the World as Keyboardist and Background Singer for Stokley formerly of Grammy Nominated R&B Group, Mint Condition.

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https://billingsleymusic.com/
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Pat Carlson, is an accomplished pianist and harpist. In 2007, after a very successful 42-year career as a flight attendant with Northwest Airlines, she retired. At that time, she pursued her life long ambition to become a professional harpist/pianist, song writer, composer, and recording artist. She presently has five beautifully creative CDs available for your easy listening enjoyment. Her harp and keyboard music have been used as relaxing background music by numerous national businesses. Her music has been featured in several documentary films.

After several trips to Europe, Ryan fell in love with classical music and the elegant sounds of the Old World. These adventures inspired Ryan to pick up the vintage accordion that he inherited from his grandfather, who brought it home from Germany during his tenure in World War 2. Since then, Ryan has devoted himself to revitalizing the sounds of this fascinating instrument that has all but disappeared from mainstream music. Today Ryan provides a blissful escape to those who wish to experience the same music that has been so transformative in his own life.

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https://ryancharlescihlar.com/
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Steve is an award winning multi-instrumentalist, bandleader and educator, playing a variety of wind instruments including Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone saxophones, Flute, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, and Bass Clarinet.  He has 11 Minnesota Music Awards, 3 Grammy nominations, and hundreds of recordings in multiple genres including jazz, blues, RnB, rock, folk, new age, world, funk and soul under his own name and with local, regional and national artists.  Steve has appeared in Downbeat magazine and is endorsed by Antigua Winds.

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DGS (pronouns: they/them/theirs) has studied and performed the violin with many artists in multiple genres, though their heart has always been drawn to creating something for themselves. Performing on a five stringed instrument, DGS has both violin and viola at their fingertips, and the addition of live effects expands their sound palette even further. All of their sounds are created and recorded live into a looper to transform this one person into a string quartet, a live band, and many shades and combinations in between. The reflective and pensive ability of instrumental and classical music combined with the pulse and staying power of a Top 40 hit is a combination that inspires them most. Instrumental riffs lay the foundation while dense symphonic strings collide with dance-worthy beats. DGS has a way of speaking through their music that captivates any and all who stop to listen.

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Dgsviolin.com
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Ted Godbout is a pianist, composer, and educator based in Minneapolis. He has performed with such notable artists and groups as Art Webb, Mark Colby, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Ted maintains a busy performing schedule in the Twin Cities area. In addition to leading his own groups he appears regularly with PaviElle, Ticket to Brazil, the Explosion Big Band, and the Bill Simenson Orchestra.

Pianist and composer Nate Hance spreads his joy and love of music through his versatile and extensive repertoire, unique arrangements, and passion for sharing music with diverse communities. Whether he’s playing at weddings, corporate events, MSP airport, senior living communities or schools, Nate brings live music to any location that craves it! He ensures that everyone hears songs that evoke cherished memories and happily accepts song requests from any era or genre. 

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https://www.natehance.com/
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Greg Herriges plays a mix of original and traditional “progressive world music” on guitar and bouzouki (Greek lute), with a unique approach honed by his studies of Asian, Middle Eastern, and other international styles. An award-winning composer and performer, his music and writing have found international recognition. Integrating Eastern and Western sounds, he spins new webs out of everything from Indian ragas and Turkish dances to Japanese folk and American surf-jazz. He is also a theater/film soundtrack artist and author of music books, but performing is his lifeblood. He is equally at home playing with cross-cultural ensembles or “letting one guitar play him.”

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Taylor James Donskey plays classic American styles music, sharing everyday tales from everyday people. From subdued and gentle to the energetic and frenetic, he traverses the worlds of folk, alt-country, classic rock, and indie rock with every step he takes. He is deeply connected to the Minneapolis and St.Paul music scene working as an educator, side-man, session musician and organizer.

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https://taylorjamesdonskey.com/
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James is a talented young man who was diagnosed with classic autism at age 2. By 4, James showed an interest in music and began piano lessons the following year. His first teacher identified him as having absolute (perfect) pitch. Even with this ability, James has required many hours of lessons, daily practice, and support to become a public performer. By age 16, he began volunteering his piano playing at local senior homes and hospitals. Since completing high school in 2018, James has been playing weekly at the MSP airport, a hospital, chapels, and many senior homes. He has also been attending a community college to improve his musical skills. In addition, since 2019, James has become an owner of the business AbiliKeys in Autism, advocating for those, like him, on their abilities.

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Nikki Lemire spins her life around her music, making space to perform in multiple fields and genres. Her songwriting features her expressive vocals over layered and hypnotic accompaniment. Employing modern harp techniques, loop and electric pedals, Nikki artfully shapes the music to her words, creating a sound that refuses to adhere to any one particular genre, somehow feeling old and new at the same time.

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Nikkilemiremusic.com
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Sarah Morris is a Minneapolis-based Americana singer-songwriter whose crystalline voice and benevolent storytelling have earned her recognition as one of the Midwest’s most compelling musical voices. Over the course of six albums and a decade-plus of steady, determined songwriting, Morris has made a practice of allurement. Morris’s lyrics contain an empathy that convinces listeners that she knows of what she sings. The Star Tribune’s Chris Riemenschneider praised her “Norah Jones-like approach to Americana, smoothing over its rough edges with a butter-velvety voice and an intimate songwriting style.”

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Sarahmorrismusic.com
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MSP travelers tell us that Heidi “makes a piano sing”, “brings such life to those keys”, and “makes the ordinary sound beautiful”. As an active composer and arranger of both contemporary and classical works, along with being a church musician, Heidi creatively reimagines cover songs in a variety of genres, and cites Jim Brickman, Lorie Line, Yanni, Philip Wesley, and Chad Lawson, along with Chopin and Debussy as her major influences.   Primarily self-taught with only three collective years of formal instruction, Heidi learned to watch others play and listen well with perfect pitch to copy what they did and develop her own style. Heidi has transcribed music from professional recordings for vocal groups to perform and has recently published fourteen classical hymn arrangements for solo piano, with variations as piano duets with cello, violin, flugelhorn, and trumpet. New this Spring, Heidi has released her first choral work for SATB choir and piano, now available online along with her 2 albums: Classical Reflections, and Here I Am.

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https://heidipianoclassics.com/
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Jazz pianist, trumpeter, composer and educator, Jon is one of the most versatile musicians in the Twin Cities.

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Jonpemberton.com

Luke Pickman, aka "InstrumentManiac", is a musician based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Starting with the flute at age 11, Luke has been playing music for over 22 years. Over that time, he has become a multi-instrumentalist, expanding to many woodwind, string, brass, and percussion instruments. In addition to live performances, Luke uses his collection of 111 instruments to create weekly music videos for his YouTube channel.

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Lukepickman.com
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Pan Dimensions is a Minneapolis based group founded by Lance Pollonais, a native of Trinidad & Tobago. Lance has been performing and teaching throughout the Twin Cities for over 30 years. The steel pan as an instruments was created and developed from the excess oil drums left in Trinidad following WWII. The lilting sounds of the steel drum gives life to a broad spectrum of songs from calypso classics to jazz standards. The sounds of Pan D are sure to bring a bit of musical sunshine to any environment.

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Steve Roehm is a Twin Cities–based vibraphonist and St. Paul native who studied jazz percussion at the University of North Texas before launching his career on tour with the funk/punk band Billygoat. In Minnesota, he founded The Neighborhood Trio and the avant-jazz group Electropolis, and in 2004 co-formed the beloved trio The New Standards with Chan Poling and John Munson, performing locally and internationally, including regular shows at Joe’s Pub in New York City. Over the years, Steve has collaborated with local and national artists such as Matt Wilson and Dan Schwartz, performed with groups including The Twilight Hours and The Witnesses (house band for MPR’s “Wits”), and recorded for projects ranging from The Jonas Brothers to the film soundtrack for Stay starring Ewan McGregor. In addition to performing, he teaches at McPhail Center, offers private lessons, plays regularly at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, builds his own “Roehmeo” mallet instrument, and remains active in a wide range of creative pursuits.

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https://www.steveroehm.org/

Dan Schwartz is a Minnesota musician who plays roots-based, melody-driven tunes on harp guitart and lap steel. Dan earned a degree in American Finger-Style Guitar Performance from The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee where he dove deep into the works of Michael Hedges and Leo Kottke. Dan has written and released nine CDs and has been featured on several internationally released acoustic guitar compilations including Narada Records Masters of Acoustic Guitar. His recordings have earned him a nomination for guitarists of the year (Minnesota Music Academy) and Folk/Roots album of the year (Mpls. St Paul Magazine). While Dan does enjoy sharing his music center stage, some of his favorite musical moments have been as a side-man for friends and folk heroes Neal and Leandra, Peter Mayer, and Dan Navarro (Lowen and Navarro). Dan’s latest recording, High Plains Gospel, is a collection of finger-style guitar tunes played on harp guitar and acoustic lap steel.

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https://danschwartz.net/
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Harpist, composer, improviser, arranger, teacher, singer – Phala is a versatile musician. From classical to pop, ragtime to improvisation, she pushes the boundary of what one has come to expect from the pedal harp. A lover of nonsense, many of her lyrics are imbued with a spirit of whimsy. Her first album, Critter Songs is a collection of playful, imaginative songs for children. Phala lives and works in Minneapolis, MN where she teaches harp at Studio Fidicina and Gustavus Adolphus College. She can be seen performing at the State Theatre production of the Nutcracker, on the New Standards Holiday Show, with Chris Lynch and the Dust of Suns and also with Matt Wilson and His Orchestra.

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https://studiofidicina.com/