Links to Our Friends...
Friends
Mandy Smallbeck is presently a music educator in Grafton, North Dakota. She is a graduate of the University of North Dakota, and is also a current member of the 188th Army Band. Mandy and her husband, Chris, recently had their first child- a son, named Elijah...
Eric Klotz is a freelance guitarist here in the FM area. He's also a graduate student at Minnesota State University- Moorhead. You can find Eric either performing with various jazz and rock groups, playing with the Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome or The Funk Commission, or teaching lessons in his popular studio...
Nate Fryett is a freelance drummer out in the Cities. He's from Minot originally, and attended school at MSUM. He was a memmber of Jass from 1997-1999...
Carla McLean is a member of the 188th Army Band, and is veteran of the war in Iraq...
Ruth Meberg is Tim Stine's wife and a former resident of Fargo, where she was incredibly active in the community. She is currently in Cincinatti, where she is attennding graduate school in the field of Arts Administration...
Josh Maynard is the new guitar player in the band Patents Pending. He's also a good dart player, though not as good as Russ, but he's getting there...
Josh Harty now has an official web site for his musical endeavors...
Courtney Middleton is the wife of Jeremy Middleton. They live in Jacksonville, Florida...
Josh Harty is a former local musician/song writter who made waves in the Fargo-Moorhead area as a soloist, a partner with Brooks West, and as a frontman with his band Garden Party. Josh is currently living in Madison, Wisconsin, where he is enjoying a great run making music in that area...
Jeremy Middleton is currently a member of the US Navy Band in Jacksonville, where he performs with the rock and pop band...
Brooks West is a former Fargo folk musician who is now touring and performing on the east coast...
Erin Shipley is a former Jass member (saxophonist and vocalist) who is living out in Winnipeg...
Tyler Andrews is a local keyboardist, piano player, and vocalist, and has performed as a solo act, as well as with bands to include Flatlands, Friktion, and The Garden Party...
Nick Pratt is the current bass player and former sound man for the band Tripp 40...
Eric Solberg has been a very good friend of Christopher's since their days in high school. Eric is currently a performing musician, playing with The Las Vegas Allstars and Lorie Line...
Sean Solberg is Eric Solberg's younger brother, who Christopher has also known since his days in Minot. Sean is married and lives in the Chicago area where he teaches private lessons and performs on trombone...
The Middleton Family (Jeremy Middleton) has been one of Christopher's closest friends since their days in San Antonio together in the Army. Jeremy is an incredibly talented musician who is now stationed in Jacksonville, Florida as a member of the US Navy...
Former Music Department Friends
Chrissy Wirtz is a former member of the NDSU Jazz Ensemble, Trombone Ensemble, Concert Band, and Marching Band. She is married to Bryon Wirtz. Chrissy recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Sean...
Bryon Wirtz is a former president of the Gold Star Band and is also a former member of the GSMB(where he was a drum major), Concert Band, and Jazz Ensemble. He is currently working for IBM in Rochster and raising his first child with his lovely wife, Chrissy...
Al Berg played piano and guitar in the NDSU Jazz Ensemble and Combo. He is presently a member of Patents Pending and the Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome...
Amber Hopf played horn in the Gold Star Marching and Concert Band, and is also a very talented pianist...
Kelly Nannegae played drums in jazz lab band, percussion in the Gold Star band, and was a snare player in the NDSU Gold Star Marching Band drum line...
Jamie and Mike Eckmann played saxophone at NDSU, playing in the Gold Star Marching Band for a handful of years. They have since moved to Omaha after they both graduated...
Sarah Beck played euphonium at NDSU, playing in the Gold Star Marching Band and Varsity Band. She is presently in her senior year at NDSU majoring in Child Development & Family Science...
Rena (Kuch) Vacha played oboe and saxophone at NDSU, playing in the jazz ensemble, concert band, marching band, and saxophone quartet. She's married to that moron, Mike Vacha (see below)...
Mike Vacha is a former member of the NDSU Concert and Marching Bands...
Elliott Schwab is a former member of the NDSU Concert Choir. He has participated in a couple years of Jass, and is presently part of the acapella group Alterior Motiv...
Keira Oscarson is a former member of the Gold Star Concert Band at North Dakota State University. She's finishing up a degree at NDSU right now, and keeping pretty busy with everything else under God's green earth while doing it.
Steph Plante is a former member of the jazz ensembles at North Dakota State University. She will soon be embarking on a journey out of the area to attend school at St. Cloud. Her boyfriend, Rob, will join her. Steph has also been a member of the Jass Festival in the past.
Russell Pfaff is a graduate of North Dakota State University, where he received a degree in architecture. He was a member of the jazz combo and the jazz ensemble. He has also been a member of the Jass Festival during the past handful of years, and is an original member of Patents Pending.
Russ also has a MySpace account...
Matt Tintes is a graduate of North Dakota State University, where he received a degree in music education. He was a member of the concert choir, Madrigals, and the Gold Star Band to name just a few. He has also served as a member and a director at the Jass Festival in the past.
Joan Beckman, or soon to be Joan Larson (if you can imagine this at all) has herself a little blog on the internet. Pretty much everyone in the world has a blog, I guess, but this is one of them that's actually good. Amazing. Check it out. (Joan is a former member of the Gold Star Marching and Concert Bands, and was a member of TBS...)
Bryon Wirtz and his wife Chrissy now live in Rochester where they own a house, a couple of cars, and dogs. No children, though. But, that'll be soon to come, right? (Bryon is a former officer, drum major, section leader, and member of the Gold Star Marching and Concert Bands, Chrissy was a member of the Gold Star Marching and Concert Bands as well...)
Cassidi Olson is hiding in Byron, Minnesota. He did some school here at NDSU, then he disappeared. I figured he was running from the FBI, the CIA, or the IRS...perhaps all of them. Just kidding. No, really... (Cass was a member of the Gold Star Marching and Concert Bands...)
Current Music Department Friends
Jeremy Meinert
Jeremy Meinert recently graduated from Minot State University with a degree in Music, then got married to Roxanne. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in Music at NDSU...
Raylene DeMontigny is a senior music major at North Dakota State University. Sorry it took me so damned long to get your link up!
Erin Ott now has her own blog on MySpace...
Erin Ott is a music education major at North Dakota State University, Frank Clemens recently graduated from NDSU with a degree in music...
Tanya Matthies is a music education major at North Dakota State University, and will be student teaching and graduating this coming fall...
Chris Heldt is a new music major to North Dakota State University. He is a very talented trumpet player that came to Fargo from Texas...
Emily Bair is a senior majoring in music education. She is presently involved with the Gold Star Concert Band, where she is a feature soloist on the bands tour. Emily is also a part of the award-winning NDSU Saxophone Quartet...
Alex Shepard is a junior majoring in nursing. He is presently a member of the Gold Star Marching Band and the Varsity Bands...
Dan Hinman is a freshman at NDSU majoring in music. He's originally from Bismarck. He is currently a member of a number of ensembles to include the Gold Star Band, Concert Choir, and the NDSU Jazz Ensemble...
Ron Storhaug is a freshman at NDSU majoring in music. He's from Bismarck, and brings a strong lead trumpet sound to the music program. He's a member of several groups to include the NDSU Jazz Ensemble and the Gold Star Marching and Concert Bands...
Ron also has a MySpace account...
Derek Poehls is a music major at NDSU where he is studying as a vocalist. He is a talented singer and a good guitar player, and is one of the charter members of Alterior Motiv, a local acapella group...
Cullen Wells is a trombone player in the NDSU Jazz Ensemble, the senior most of the current section. He is an engineering major at NDSU, and is a native of Minot...
Brent Alexenko is a doctoral student at North Dakota State University studying on the field of voice and choral conducting. He has also been a member and director at the Jass Festival. Oh, and he's one of the only people at NDSU that's older than me...
Krista is a member of the Gold Star Marching and Concert Bands, as well as numerous chamber groups...
Shantel is bassoon player in the Gold Star Concert Band and other chamber ensembles...
Ben Cory is a member of the NDSU Concert Choir, and has participated in the past with the NDSU Gold Star Marching Band and brass ensemble. He has also been a member of the Jass Festival.
Jessy is a member of the NDSU Gold Star Band and the jazz ensemble...
Jessy also has a MySpace account...
Jim is presently a member of the NDSU Concert Choir, as well as a member of the Madrigal Singers...
Anne is currently a member of the NDSU Concert Choir and has been a participant in the Jass Festival...
Zach is currently a member of the Gold Star Marching Band, and has been a part of the concert band, wind ensemble, varsity band, and jazz ensemble. He has also been a member of the Jass Festival...
Tanya is a member of various NDSU music groups, including the Gold Star Marching and Concert Bands. Tanya has also been a part of the past two years of the Jass Festival...
Mike is a member of the NDSU Marching and Concert Band...
Jesse is presently a member of the Gold Star Marching and Concert Bands, and is also a member of the jazz ensemble and brass emsemble. Jesse has also been a part of the Jass Festival.
Lora is a member of the NDSU Gold Star Marching Band drumline and a member of the GSB Concert Band...
Jess is currently a member of the Gold Star Marching and Concert Band, and is involved with several ensembles...