Concerts

thursday musical concert
flute and piano
Sandra Sheih and Brian de young
Sunday, April 6
2:00 pm concert

Sandra Sheih made her performance debut at the age of 14 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. She went on to receive her Bachelor’s degree in Flute Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studying with Alexander Murray. Next, she was invited to study privately and intensively with Joshua Smith (Cleveland Orchestra, Principal Flute) for two years, and then continued her study of the flute under Adam Kuenzel (Minnesota Orchestra, Principal Flute) for five years. She has participated as a performer in intensive international masterclasses with Marina Piccini both in 1999 and 2024. She was recently a finalist in an International Concerto Competition in Switzerland.

Ms. Sheih has performed in a variety of settings throughout her career including operas, Broadway shows, symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, and as a concerto soloist. Opera and Broadway experience has included: Ohio Light Opera, Des Moines Opera and Broadway Shows in Des Moines (including a special write up in the Des Moines Register about her “incredibly delightful” piccolo playing in a Best of Andrew Lloyd Weber show).

Her symphony orchestra experience has included regular principal flute and piccolo positions with Exultate Chamber Orchestra and Choir (15 years), Ames Symphony (9 years), Oskaloosa Symphony (9 years), Des Moines Municipal Band (9 years), and Symphony of the Lakes (5 years). Sandra has substituted multiple times with Des Moines Symphony, Duluth Symphony, Mankato Symphony, Rochester Symphony, St. Cloud Symphony and for numerous community orchestras.

Ms. Sheih has been a concerto soloist numerous times, her repertoire has included: Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, Bach Suite in b minor, Briccaldi Carnival of Venice, Borne Carmen Fantasie, Chaminade Concertino, Doppler Andante et Rondo, Hue Fantasie, Mozar Concerto in D, Mozart Concerto in G, Vivaldi Piccolo Concerto in C Major.

Ms. Sheih has been teaching private flute lessons since she was given her teacher’s “wait list” at the age of 14. She currently teaches a private studio and is the Flute Professor at Bethel University. Currently, she is the Principal Flutist of Exultate Chamber Orchestra and Choir, a founding member of FluteSpiration Quartet, and a regular soloist with Summit Music. She also just launched her “Enhancing Emotional Intelligence through Music” project.

Organist and pianist Brian De Young is a musician of broad skills and interests ranging from Renaissance and Baroque to musical theatre and new classical music. He is a Professor of Music at Augsburg University in Minneapolis where he teaches organ and collaborative piano and serves as Campus Ministry musician. An active freelance chamber musician, he has performed in numerous festivals around the country with members of the Chicago Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Grand Rapids (Michigan) Symphony, and others.

Also a skilled bass-baritone, Brian has sung with the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus, Minnesota Renaissance Choir, Kantorei, The Summer Singers, and the Italian Baroque ensemble Consortiu Carissimi. He has conducted church and community choirs in Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota, and is currently the music director at Trinity Lutheran Congregation on the campus of Augsburg. Brian studied organ performance at Dordt University in Iowa, church music at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Ohio, and piano pedagogy at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Prior to Augsburg, he served on the piano faculties at Grand Valley and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.

Middle School Orchestra and Jazz Band
sunday, april 13
2:00 PM Concert

The excitement and enthusiasm the middle xchool students bring to the orchestra and jazz concert is amazing. You will want to be there to applaud their musical talents.

thursday musical concert
piano and violin
carson rose schneider and aja Majkrzak
sunday, may 4
2:00 pm concert

Praised for her “excellent musicianship” (Talkin’ Broadway) and “stunning and emotionally evocative” playing (Cherry and Spoon), Carson Rose Schneider is a versatile pianist who works as a duo partner, coach, music director, and rehearsal pianist with opera companies, chamber groups, and choirs. Based in Minneapolis, MN, she is at home playing with singers and instrumentalists and is in demand by companies and recitalists around the Midwest. The list of companies she has recently been seen gigging with includes Skylark Opera Theatre, Lyric Opera of the North, Out of the Box Opera, An Opera Theatre (AOT), Journey North Opera, St Croix Valley Opera, Really Spicy Opera, Schubert Club, and Twin Cities Opera Guild. Most recently, she was the Music Director and Pianist for Lyric Opera of the North's October 2023 production of Michael Ching's Speed Dating Tonight. She is Music Director at Union Congregational Church United Church of Christ in Elk River, MN and has a private home recording and coaching studio.

Aja Majkrzak has been playing the violin since she was 4 years old. She received her Bachelor's of Music from the University of Minnesota in 2011 under the tutelage of Mark Bjork, and her Master's of Music from Louisiana State University in 2013 studying with Espen Lilleslatten. Since then she has performed with many regional orchestras and has served as section leader for various community orchestras. Her orchestral experiences have given her the opportunity to share the stage with performers like Leila Josefowicz, Audra McDonald, and Gil Shaham.

Orchestral playing is the focus of her career but Aja has also performed with 2 Cellos, Foreigner, Harry Connick, Jr., Kygo, the Transiberian Orchestra and the Latin jazz group Charanga Tropical. In June 2015 she traveled to Havana, Cuba with the group to become the first band from the United States to participate in the International Danzon Festival.

If she is not making music you can find Aja with her two cats, Dexter and Cindy Lou Who, cooking vegetarian and vegan meals, and attempting to keep her plants alive.