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Shane Ellis
Percussion
Shane has been performing in The Twin Cities for most of his life, including roles with the Guthrie Theatre in Jane Eyre, Chanhassen Dinner Theater in Singing in the Rain, as well as with Lundstrum Performing Arts in Once Upon a Mattress, Hello Dolly and with PlaceBase Productions. He is an accomplished drummer and has taught percussion in area schools including Lundstrum Performing Arts since 2013.
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Franco Holder
Franco Holder is a freelance pianist in the Twin Cities. He has performed and led workshops at the Guthrie and Ordway Theaters and is a past winner of the Artistic Ambassador Competition for the state of Minnesota, bringing classical music to rural and underserved communities across the state. In 2020 he was a featured recording artist for the Schubert Club Museum's exhibit on women composers. Franco maintains an active teaching studio and enjoys collaborating with artists across many styles and genres.
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Mary Howarth
Consulting Musical Director
Mary is a performer, music director, educator, arranger and composer. She received a B.F.A. in piano performance from the University of Minnesota, and her musical theater experience includes work on productions for the Guthrie Theater, Temple Israel, the University of Minnesota and St. Catherine University. She has served as organist for St. John’s Abbey, as pianist and arranger for St. Catherine University and as music director for Most Holy Trinity Church. Mary also has published liturgical compositions and arrangements through GIA Publications and Augsburg Fortress.
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Lawrence Henry
Piano
Lawrence R. Henry is a graduate of Carleton College, and holds a Master of Music Degree from the University of Minnesota. He has served as an accompanist for numerous musical organizations including the Minnesota Orchestra, Minnesota Chorale, and theTwin Cities Opera Guild. He has been a faculty or staff collaborative pianist at several colleges, including Carleton and Macalester He has been awarded fellowships at both Carleton College and the Bach Aria Festival in New York. While working at the University, he served as Music Director of the University Opera Theatre, alongside Twin Cities favorite, Vern Sutton. Henry has served 18 years as the Parish Musician at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lakeland.
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David Lohman
Piano
David Lohman spent 3½ years as associate conductor of the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera. He was arranger, pianist, and singer for Yesterday Once More: Music of the Carpenters, a pops concert performed with orchestras around the country, including Dallas, St. Louis, and Minnesota. At the History Theatre, he served as arranger, music director, and pianist for Beyond the Rainbow and Christmas of Swing, and music director of the long-running Glensheen. Shows at the Ordway include West Side Story, White Christmas, and Anything Goes. David did his graduate work in conducting at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati.
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Casey Rafn
Piano
Casey is active as a freelance pianist and musical director in the country and abroad. As a collaborative pianist, he has performed at venues in Montreal, Mexico, New York, Florida, Arizona, and across the Midwest, and can often be found in concert with members of the Minnesota Orchestra or the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. As a solo pianist, he has taken top prizes at the International Liszt-Garrison competition in Baltimore, as well as state competitions in Minnesota and Iowa. He is also a member of the saxophone-piano trio {Tres}. Based in Minneapolis, he enjoys coffee, cinema, and cats.
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Jill Schendel
Piano
Jill Schendel enjoys coaching young performers and playing piano for theater and dance classes. In the metro area, she works as a music director/keyboard performer for theaters, opera, and colleges. Jill's resume includes vocal coaching, piano teaching, and collaborative pianist for classical singers. She holds a master's degree in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance.
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