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 President's letter • About the performer • Upcoming events • About WAS • Residency program • Donors • Sponsors • Program archive

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President's Letter

Dear Valued Patrons,

For thirty-three years, the Mahtomedi Public Schools Music Faculty have performed a recital as part of the Wildwood Artist Series. The recital always features a wide variety of music from repertoire performed as professional musicians as well as music used in the classroom.  Over the years the music faculty have been joined on stage by students, alumni, other members of the Mahtomedi faculty, and local celebrities including Dorothy Benham and Steve Staruch.

Money raised from the performance goes right back to the music program to help meet expenses that are not covered by the music budget.

Thank you for coming and enjoy the show!

Julie Molitor
President, Wildwood Artist Series

Robert Pontious
O. H. Anderson Elementary School
Music Education Teacher
& Wildwood Artist Series Committee member

Mahtomedi Public Schools Music Faculty Concert

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Joan Fitch has been an accompanist in the Mahtomedi schools for twenty years.  She plays for the choirs, accompanies band students for solo/ensemble and vocal directs, and directs for the theater programs with both the middle and high school.  Joan also works with Ashland Productions and serves as a church pianist as well.

Julie Conzemius has worked in the Mahtomedi School district for 25 years, teaching music and directing the middle school musicals. She currently sings in the choir and does solo work with St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, and has performed with Ashland Productions and The Minnesota Opera. Ms. Conzemius holds a B.A. in Music from Gustavus Adolphus College, and a Masters in Music, Music Education from Boston University.

Chad Garrels, a native of Fairfield, Iowa, received his bachelor’s degree in 1995 from Central College in Pella, Iowa, and is currently pursuing his Master of Music Education from The University of St. Thomas. Mr. Garrels' teaching career has included classroom, choral and instrumental music education in the states of Iowa, Texas, and Minnesota. In the fall of 2015, he assumed the duties as Choral Director at Mahtomedi High School. An active member in ACDA, MMEA, and NafME, Mr. Garrels has served as ACDA-MN Metro-East district representative, 9-10 Honor Choir Co-Chair, IMEA All-State Choir audition site chair, and Iowa ACDA Honor Choir audition chair. Mr. Garrels is passionate about musical theater and has directed many shows at MHS. He has also vocal directed and been a cast member in productions at Ashland Productions, in Maplewood as well as with Fairfield Area Community Theatre in Fairfield, Iowa and Van Buren Players in Keosauqua, Iowa. During the summer and some weekends throughout the school year, you can find Mr. Garrels on the slow pitch softball field playing first base.

Chuck Linderkamp has been a member of the Adjunct Music Faculty at Mahtomedi Middle School since 1993. He is a woodwind specialist, teaching lessons on clarinet, oboe, and saxophone. He is a member of several big bands in the Twin Cities, including the Century Jazz Ensemble based in White Bear Lake. He also has been a longtime director of handbell choirs at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis. He lives in South Minneapolis with his wife and 2 kittens.

Laura A. Goucher (Gustavus Adolphus College - 1996) is in her sixth year as the Director of Bands at Mahtomedi High School.  Her primary duties at MHS involve conducting the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Wind Orchestra. In addition, she runs two extra-curricular morning jazz ensembles and an extra-curricular percussion ensemble. She also currently teaches a guitar class, a percussion class and AP Music Theory. In addition, she conducts the very active Mahtomedi High  School pep band, which makes frequent appearances at state tournaments! In addition, Ms. Goucher has conducted numerous honor bands around the Midwest and has presented sessions for other music educators at the Minnesota Music Educators clinic, and she will be presenting at the International Band Directors Clinic in December in Chicago!

Ashley Olson is in her fifth year of teaching middle school band, with this being her second year at Mahtomedi. Her primary instruments are clarinet and sax, but Olson has sung in choir and performed in musicals/plays since middle school and into college. She is currently a substitute clarinetist for Encore Wind Ensemble, directed by Peter Haberman. Olson holds a B.M. in Music Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, being outside, dressing up her cats, and learning how to crochet.

Robert Pontius is currently in his 36th year as a music teacher. This is his 30th year in Mahtomedi and his seventh as a music specialist for O.H. Anderson Elementary School. Mr. Pontious has been an active professional musician singing with the Dale Warland Singers and The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Chorale. Since 1995 he has conducted the adult choir at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church in St. Paul, MN.  Mr. Pontious holds a BME and MA from Truman State University and an Ed. Spec. from Bethel University.

Jen Seckora is in her fifth year of teaching middle school band, with this being her second year at Mahtomedi. Her primary instruments are clarinet and sax, but Olson has sung in choir and performed in musicals/plays since middle school and into college. She is currently a substitute clarinetist for Encore Wind Ensemble, directed by Peter Haberman. Olson holds a B.M. in Music Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, being outside, dressing up her cats, and learning how to crochet.

Upcoming 2024-2025 Events

Mark your calendars!
All concerts are held in the Chautauqua Fine Arts Center at Mahtomedi High School.

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SimpleGifts Music with Billy McLaughlin presents “The Young and the Rest…”
Saturday, January 25, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
•  This production is all about women bringing new life to music made famous by men. It's a girl-powered reboot of acoustic hits and deep tracks by Neil Young, CSN, America, The Eagles and more.
•  SimpleGifts will also be holding an in-school workshop with our secondary students!

To purchase tickets or to make a tax-deductible donation visit wildwoodartistseries.com,
scan this QR code or call 612-655-6023.

All concerts (unless otherwise stated) are held in the Chautauqua Fine Arts Center of Mahtomedi High School.  Click an event name for tickets and more information.

The Chautauqua Fine Arts Center provides access for people with disabilities. A ramp is available to the left side of the lobby. Public restrooms are located off the lobby in either direction. Beverages and food are limited to the lobby or high school commons and may not be brought into the Center. Fire codes prohibit seating in the aisles. Our buildings and grounds are smoke free.

About the Wildwood Artist Series

Click here to read about the Wildwood Artist Series and the Wildwood Artist Series Committee.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Wildwood Artist Series committee, contact Julie Molitor at [email protected] to learn more.

The Ellen C. Bruner Professional Performing Arts Residency Program

It is the distinct honor and pleasure for the WAS new administration to rename the Wildwood Artist Series Professional Performing Artist Residency Program to the Ellen C. Bruner Professional Performing Artist Residency Program.

Click here to read more, or to DONATE to the Ellen C. Bruner Professional Performing Artist Residency Program.

Donors

Click here to donate, or to see the list of our Donors, all of whom help to make the Wildwood Artist Series possible.

Sponsors

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