Oren Bloedow
Oren Bloedow is an American singer, guitarist, and composer. He founded the band Elysian Fields in 1995 with Jennifer Charles. His father, Jerry Bloedow, b. 1928, is a playwright, poet and film editor, whose theater, the Hardware Poet’s Playhouse, was a fixture in the New York avant-garde scene in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Oren’s first serious musical affiliations were with Phillip Johnston, Bobby Previte and Wayne Horvitz, all of whom worked with him in Bobby Radcliff’s blues band in the 1980s. With Radcliff, Oren backed up Dr. John, Otis Rush and Johnny Copeland, also Paul Butterfield shortly before he died. Another close collaboration was with underground guitarist Ron Anderson, later of San Francisco’s The Molecules. In 1985, a friend of Ron’s introduced Oren to 101 Crustaceans, whose leader, Ed Pastorini, is Oren’s oldest continuing musical associate, and was later a member of Elysian Fields. He attended New England Conservatory in 1987–88, and then moved to New York where he gigged frequently at the Knitting Factory on Houston Street.
BRIGADE (Boris Volkov & Denis Topnikov)
Musical Group “Brigade” was created in 2017 in Saint-Petersburg. It was formed by two musicians, studying in the same school: lyricist and vocalist – Denis Topnikov; Guitarist and Beatmaker – Boris Volkov. Since that time musical group was releasing tracks in different genres including: rap; instrumental hip-hop; ambient music.
“Brigade” has always thought to write musical compositions not for commercial success, but for the development of their own creative ideas.
Benjamin Burgdorf
Benjamin Burgdorf is a dedicated performer and instructor in the Twin Cities music scene. In addition to maintaining a full Suzuki violin and viola studio, Burgdorf has enjoyed an active performance career. He has performed for over a decade with the Des Moines Symphony and also enjoyed engagements with Orchestra Iowa, South Dakota Symphony, and the Quad City Symphony.
He was a founding member of Lux String Quartet from 2013-2018 and has performed with the Belin String Quartet’s summer series. On the popular stage, Burgdorf regularly appears with the Laurel’s String Quartet and has performed with the Trans Siberian Orchestra, Jeremy Messersmith, Dessa, and members of Semisonic to name a few. His improvising duo, Wormwood, is presently creating custom content for the DnD podcast When Crit Happens. Burgdorf holds a Bachelor’s in performance from the University of Minnesota and Master’s from Boston University. He performs on an award winning viola by New-York based luthier, Jason Viseltear and he commissioned Matthew Wehling to make his bow. When not performing, you’ll find Burgdorf in the garden, playing chess, or cooking elaborate meals for family and friends.
Joshua Camp
Joshua Camp is a composer, performer, producer, and songwriter who received a Bachelor’s of Music Composition from Virginia Commonwealth University, with a background in classical piano performance. His interest in free reed instruments began and developed while working at the Hohner company as an accordion and harmonica technician.
Joshua has founded or co-founded many music projects including One Ring Zero, Chicha Libre, Locobeach, C.A.M.P.O.S. and Westwork featured on Fresh Air, Morning Edition, and This American Life. With his group One Ring Zero, he has collaborated with various authors, including Paul Auster, Dave Eggers, Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, and Michael Chabon. As a composer, Joshua’s music has been featured in television shows, including Homeland, Weeds, and On My Block. He has played accordion on the most recent Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof, and on the Grammy-nominated cast recording. He can also be heard playing accordion on the TV shows 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Bryan Casey
Bryan Casey grew up in Lengby, MN a small northern Minnesotan town. He grew up surrounded by folk music and started classical piano around the age of 6. In his teens he taught himself guitar and went on to start writing music as well as singing. Since those early years he has written, recorded and released 8 music albums under various names;
the most prolific being the band Murzik which toured nationally for a number of years and was featured on NPR as well as played at such prestigious venues such as CBGB in NYC and First Avenue in Minneapolis. These days Bryan’s touring days have settled a bit, but he has not slowed down. He has lately been directing films with his directorial debut available on Amazon Prime and Tubi, running his recording studio Dastardly Records, writing and performing country and folk music as Bryan Casey and singing choral music as a bass with a small chamber choir. He resides with his wife and two kids and animals in Inver Grove Heights just outside the loop.
Jennifer Charles
Jennifer Charles is a writer, singer/songwriter, actor, and poet, best known as one half of the New York cult band Elysian Fields. She has played, performed and written with artists around the world, singing in nine languages, twice nominated for Victoires de la Musique in France.
She is also known for her work in Lovage (with Mike Patton and Dan the Automator), as well as her Sephardic Diaspora group La Mar Enfortuna (with Elysian Fields writing partner Oren Bloedow). Elysian Fields has composed original music for TV, film and stage, including Jim Findlay’s Times Square Arts theater piece “Dream of the Red Chamber,”and several works by French dance company Affari Esteri. Jennifer originated the role of Girl Angel in the Du Yun/Prototype opera “Angel’s Bone,” (2017 Pulitzer Prize in music), and in 2020 she was seen on stage as Contess Gesch in the avant theater piece Lulu (based on Wedekind). She has also performed in BAM’s Next Wave festival, playing Emily Dickinson in the Ridge Theater/Michael Gordon piece “Lightning at our Feet.” Elysian Fields recently completed their 13th record, and in January she released her second audio book, Edith Wharton’s The Touchstone. In her spare time she makes art, gardens, travels, and cares for cats.
Olga Chikina
Olga Chikina, performer, artist, one of the most prominent Russian songwriters of 21 century, combines traditions of Soviet so-called ‘’bardic’’ song and Russian rock poetry. Since 1987 she has been writing songs based on her own poems. She sings and plays at the intersection of the genres of the author’s song, blues, rock, urban romance, French chanson and cabaret.
She is the soul of many Russian festivals, a melodist of perfect taste and an author of most delicate, good-humored, self-ironic and kind-hearted lyrics. She has released 7 music albums.
Lev Frayman
Lev Frayman is a performer based out of Maple Grove, Minnesota. Originally from Moscow, Russia – Lev has performed in various festivals and collaborations focusing on acoustic and rock-n-roll interpretations of songs by singers/songwriters from the former Soviet Union. Lev frequently performs with his wife Olga. He is also a guitar player with Ukrainian Village Band.
Andrew Gillespe
Andrew Gillespie is a drummer/percussionist based in the Twin Cities, where he was born and raised, and can be found freelancing with a variety of groups, primarily in Latin, Brazilian, and New Orleans genres. His musical palette has been influenced by time spent in Brazil, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and studies from both the University of Miami and the University of Minnesota.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in a mixture of disciplines, including music, Latin American Studies, and Portuguese language. Having lived in New York between 2010-2016, he continues to collaborate on music projects with artists from his time spent there. Beyond involvement in music, Andrew is a yoga instructor and teaches at various studios in and around Minneapolis and St. Paul. His free time or down time is spent doing many of the things he does as his livelihood, music and yoga and fitness related, along with reading, riding his bike, studying romance languages, and taking long walks with his dog.
Mary Alice Hutton
Mary Alice Hutton is known for her beautiful tone and her passion for the violin. As an orchestral player, she frequently performs with the Minnesota Opera and Minnesota Sinfonia and has also made several appearances with the Quad Cities Symphony, and the South Dakota Symphony. Currently she is the Associate Concertmaster of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra.
She has participated in several festivals including the National Repertory Orchestra, New York String Orchestra Seminar, Center Stage Strings, and the Pienza Music Festival. An active chamber musician, Mary Alice has won prizes at the St Paul Chamber Music Competition and First Prizes at the Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition and King’s Peak International Music Competition. In 2016, she was sponsored by the University of Minnesota to travel to Detmold and Leipzig, Germany to perform J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. As a recording artist, Ms. Hutton has been featured on many albums – both classical and contemporary. Most recently, she can be heard on the album Red (Taylor’s Version). She received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the University of Minnesota under the tutelage of Sally O’Reilly.
Dmitry Ishenko
Dmitry Ishenko is a versatile and in-demand New York City bass player. He has performed and/or recorded with such jazz greats as Steve Lacy, John Tchicai, Dave Liebman, Kenny Werner, Eric Harland, Terri Lynn Carrington, Ches Smith, Kenny Wollesen, classical virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, and Paul Banks (Interpol), among others.
Dmitry has toured all over the world, appearing at the NYC CareFusion Jazz Festival, Vision Festival, Blue Note Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Boston Beantown Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and many other major venues. Some of the record labels he recorded for include Warner Bros, Matador and Sunnyside Records. From 2018 to 2020 and from 2022 to 2023 Dmitry held the bass chair for the award winning revival of Fiddler On The Roof in Yiddish.
Joan As Police Woman
Brooklyn-based, world renowned recording artist, live concert performer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, mentor and producer, Joan As Police Woman, born Joan Wasser, started her musical career studying classical violin. She began playing with alt-rock bands, expanding the terrain and role of the violin. Wasser joined Antony and the Johnsons in 1999 and recorded the Mercury Prize-winning album “I Am a Bird Now”.
In 2002, Wasser formed Joan As Police Woman to explore song-writing. Her debut album Real Life was released in 2006 to wild acclaim. Originally self-described by Wasser as ‘Punk Rock R&B’, her sound has naturally evolved through 10+ acclaimed studio albums, thousands of live shows internationally and hundreds of incredible collaborations including Gorillaz, John Cale, Meshell Ndegeocello, Lou Reed, David Sylvian, Rufus Wainwright and Damon Albarn (the last five also all feature on her own records). In January 2021 Joan was hired by NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at Tisch as a mentor. Her most recent album “The Solution Is Restless” (released November 2021) is a collaboration with the late great Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen (Fela Kuti) and Dave Okumu. Presently writing her new album and a hymn to commemorate the upcoming eclipse, Joan stays inspired by collaborating with and contributing to as many musical projects she can fit into the 25 hour day.
Kirill Komarov
Kirill Komarov is a singer and songwriter from Saint Petersburg. He is the author of more than 15 albums recorded in different styles, ranging from acoustic blues to trans experiments. Several of his songs hit the rock charts in Russia.
Ian Moore
Ian Moore is musician, songwriter, producer, and engineer currently living in the Seattle area. He has released 14 records under his name, touring across the globe multiple times, and maintains a vigorous recording and touring schedule. He has opened for artists such as the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, had 4 top 20 Billboard charting songs, and done countless TV and radio shows throughout his career.
Ian is the founder and President of SMASH, which provides dental care, preventative healthcare, and mental health services to Pacific Northwest musicians. He has served as a governor for the recording academy, and is actively involved in shaping his community through his non profit and advocacy work. Mentoring young artists and helping to provide a voice for the arts and artists are big priorities for Ian, and he carries this, both in his music, and in his volunteer work. When he isn’t playing music or advocating for arts, Ian loves cooking, beekeeping, fly fishing, and hiking. He lives on Vashon Island with his wife.
Maxim Moston
Maxim is a multi-faceted multi-instrumentalist working in New York City. Coming from a strong conservatory background, Maxim frequently performs in New York’s leading concert halls playing in symphony, opera and oratorio orchestras as well as in numerous chamber ensembles.
Maxim is a veteran of over forty Broadway productions and is a fixture of New York’s studio world. Maxim has also been deeply involved in the non-classical scene, playing his violin through complex effects chains and incorporating various styles of improvisation. Especially proud of his involvement in the pop world, Maxim was the violinist and music director for the Mercury Prize winning Antony and the Johnsons with whom he has performed to sold out houses on five continents . Maxim has also been involved with the dreamy Williamsburg outfit Edison Woods and has lent his stylings to Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney, Belle and Sebastian, Mary J Blige and Jay-Z among countless others. Maxim’s arrangements and orchestrations can be heard on numerous albums, including releases from Joan As Policewoman, Antony and the Johnsons, Rufus Wainwright, Keren Ann and Josh Groban. Performances of his orchestral reimaginings of William Basinski’s seminal Disintegration Loops 1,2 and 5 have been met with glowing reviews on three continents. Maxim is busy as a composer for film and stage and is a recipient of the ASCAP Boosey And Hawkes Prize. more info: www.maximmoston.com
Leif Petersen
Violinist and teacher Leif Petersen began as a Suzuki student at the age of 4, studying with Janet Fuller at the Suzuki Institute of Seattle. Throughout his university career, Leif has studied with Margaret Baldridge, William Terwilliger, and Sally O’Reilly. Leif has also performed in master classes for violinists such as Midori and Monica Hugget.
At the University of South Carolina Leif was a winner of the USC Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition and performed Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane with the orchestra. Equally comfortable in rock venues and recording studios, Leif has performed and recorded with local Twin Cities bands like Self Evident, The Great Went, and Deephaven. Leif and his wife Amy are members of the instrumental progressive rock band Not From Here, though the band has been hibernating since the births of their two children, now 5 and 3. A dedicated teacher, Leif directs the Suzuki violin program at the St. Paul Conservatory of Music and maintains a busy studio there.
Brad Shermock
Playing trumpet since the age of 10, Brad Shermock has toured with Doc Severinsen as his lead trumpet player, performs as an extra/substitute for the Minnesota Orchestra, plays principal trumpet for the Bloomington Symphony, and freelances in the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area. He has a diverse background in music, performing with Prince, Franki Valli, Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller…
Woody Hermann, Jack Jones, Donny Osmond, Trisha Yearwood, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many others. Brad has appeared on many recording projects, most notably Minnesota Orchestra’s recordings of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Symphony No. 8, Prince’s “New Power Soul,” Chaka Kahn’s “Come To My House,” Mint Condition’s “Music @ The Speed Of Life,” and Ricky Peterson’s “Souvenir.” Brad has maintained an active private teaching studio since 1988. His students are frequently in local youth symphonies, jazz band programs, and All-State groups. Some of his best students have pursued careers in music, playing in Minneapolis, Denver, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Brad received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas, and his Master’s from DePaul University.
Marlysse Simmons
Marlysse Simmons is a renowned jazz pianist who performs and composes with the nationally known salsa band Bio Ritmo based in Richmond, Va. A graduate of the University of Maryland in Classical Piano Performance, Marlysse turned her focus to jazz and received a Masters in Composition from Brooklyn College in NYC…
where she studied with multi-Grammy award winning pianist Arturo O’Farrill. She also performs and composes with Miramar, a six piece ensemble that performs Latin American ballads at festivals in the United States and Europe. Marlysse has composed commissioned big-band arrangements for Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Big Band based in New York City, original string quartets for the Richmond, VA Rosette String Quartet, and Symphony arrangements for Bio Ritmo and The Richmond Symphony. She currently is an adjunct professor at VCU’s Jazz Music School where she teaches Small Jazz Ensemble classes, and is Musical Director for a Fall 2022 musical at the University of Richmond.
Laura Ann Singh
Laura Ann Singh is a multilingual American singer, recording artist and composer, often associated with musica popular brasileira and Latin boleros. With her band Miramar, she has performed internationally in Europe, Russia, and South America as well as the Tiny Desk concert series on NPR and headlining the annual Globalfest festival in New York City.
She has recorded music for Daptone Records, Barbes Records, and Electric Cowbell. Her repertoire pulls from all over Latin America, especially Brazil, but includes American Songbook standards, women composers, and original music. Singh is the Co-Director of Melodia, a performance and new media program which highlights women composers from around the world.
Valentina Solovyova
Born in Moscow, Russia, Valentina is a soprano singer and actress who performs in different musical genres including opera, jazz, pop and blues. She is a laureate and diploma winner of international and national vocal competitions, music festivals, and winner of the Grand Prix of International Vocal Competition named after Dunaevsky.
She was a soloist in the musical theater “Solveig-opera” at the Moscow House of Composers; one of the last parts performed in the “Young Opera” project – the role of Louisa in the opera “A Feast in Time of Plague” by Cesar Cui and main roles in musicals and operas of contemporary composers. In addition to operatic activities, she has extensive experience performing on various concert stages from the Union of Composers jazz club to Moscow cathedrals. A 2019 graduate of the Solveig International Vocal Center, she was a student of the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS) as an Opera Theater Actor.
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