Fesler-Lampert Performing Arts Series

Them coullee boys

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Them Coulee Boys craft a brand of Americana that blends folk, punk, bluegrass, and rock & roll. They sing their conversational songs in 4 part harmony, often with a banjo stomp and rhythm section punch that drives the audience onto the dance floor and into community. Their trusty van has propelled them thousands of miles across the country and into the hearts of strangers, who tend to leave each show as family. It’s music that creates community through the shared experience of joy and giving a shit.

The story is true. Soren Staff and Beau Janke met as counselors at a bible camp in northern Wisconsin in 2011. Having both grown up amidst a stretch of glacial melt-carved river valleys in the upper Midwest (called coulees by French fur trappers), they were fast friends. At camp, another counselor took to teasing them saying “them coulee boys are at it again.” The name stuck. Spending their weeks playing songs with kids around a campfire led to weekends figuring out an Avett Brothers tune or classic country song. In 2013, they added Soren’s brother Jens on mandolin, and a rough-around-the-edges, stomping 3-piece folk band played their first show as Them Coulee Boys. Four years later Neil Krause joined to play acoustic and electric bass, and in 2019 when Stas Hable joined on drums, TCB evolved into the full-on americana rock band they are today. The live band straddles the line between pure and genuine ballads and a sweaty, leaping take on countrified rock-n-roll.

Mill city string quartet
with benjamin downs

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Mill City String Quartet (MCSQ), an award-winning chamber ensemble based in Minnesota's Twin Cities, has recently garnered significant recognition. They won First Prize at the 2024 Fanny Mendelssohn International Competition (Professional Chamber Music category), Second Prize at the 2024 Charleston International Music Competition, and Third Prize at the 2023 International Clara Schumann Competition. The quartet is dedicated to promoting underrepresented composers and celebrating classical music, and has been MCSQ has been selected six times as Minnesota Public Radio Class Notes artists. Their recent performances include the National Anthem at Target Field for the Minnesota Twins, as well as concerts in Iowa, Florida, and Oregon. The quartet also holds educational residencies and participates in community outreach, performing at venues like Minnesota's all-women’s correctional facility and The Glenn retirement community.

Pianist Benjamin Downs, a prize-winning musician with performances across the U.S. and Europe, will join MCSQ. With a DMA from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a PhD from Stony Brook University, Benjamin is also a Fulbright Fellow and accomplished researcher. He currently resides in the Twin Cities, where he performs, teaches, and directs the Shattuck-St. Mary’s Pre-Conservatory Program.

Duo avila

Thursday, April 17, 2025

Founded in 2019 by Venezuelans Inés Guanchez and Sofía Schütte, the Dúo Ávila is a violin and piano ensemble that aims to perform, record, and share the music of underrepresented composers. Both artists graduated from the Shattuck-St. Mary’s Pre-Conservatory, and since have performed on stages across North America, including venues in the Twin Cities, San Francisco and Costa Rica, with their recordings being featured on MPR’s Performance Today. Their latest project explores music by Latin American composers through photography and live performance.

Robert Thomas and the sessionmen

Thursday, May 8, 2025

2023 ECMA Entertainer of the Year nominee and Showcasing artist Robert Thomas has been a published songwriter for 45 years. His writing credits include, Kenny Rogers Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt and the (Dixie) Chicks, among others. Now, after a career writing for major artists, Thomas is touring the original versions of his songs, and new compositions, with a stellar band of his favourite co-writers - the sessionmen - (Ray Legere – fiddle/mandolin, Jon Arsenault – guitar/percussion/backing vocals, and Maxime Forbes – keyboards/backing vocals). The sessionmen are a musical force in their own right, having supported Alison Krauss, Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Rita MacNeil, the Rankins, and the Chieftains. In 2022, Robert Thomas and the sessionmen performed 25 shows to 25 standing ovations in Atlantic Canada, The United States, Germany and Austria. Robert Thomas is master songwriter and entertainer at the peak of his craft, backed by a smoking band…..“an act not to be missed.”