The MDSC is made up of two representatives from each of the sophomore, junior and senior classes of music majors. It serves as the liaison between students and Music Department faculty and administration. In addition, it sponsors several social events each year. Contact any of the representatives with your ideas, questions, and concerns.
Senior Representatives
Bree Nissley ’27 John Rasmussen ’27
Junior Representatives
Sophia Carlson ’28 Thea Freitag ’28
Sophomore Representatives
Eliana DeVoe (she/her) ’29 Nathan Howard (he/him) ’29
Student Organizations – see below for student-run music ensembles.
MDSC Anonymous Feedback Form
Pi Kappa Lambda is an honor society recognizing outstanding accomplishment in music. The Beta Delta chapter was founded at St. Olaf College in April 1964. Music faculty, and junior and senior students majoring in music are eligible for membership. The Music Department pays the one-time membership fee.
The St. Olaf student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association is part of a national organization that works to connect music educators, choral directors, composers, and other choral music enthusiasts via conferences, topic meetings, workshops and masterclasses, as well as social events. With a student membership, future directors and educators can explore the benefits and resources of membership to a professional choral organization while still in college. Meetings are usually monthly, dates/times TBD by group. New members can join by emailing silves1@stolaf.edu or coming to a meeting! All are welcome! Insta: @stolaf_acda Facebook: St. Olaf ACDA Student Chapter Sign up for our alias on Instagram! Faculty Advisors: Anton Armstrong (x3183) and Therees Hibbard (x3187)
Faculty Advisor: Leigh Ann Garner (x3190) The Music Educators’ National Conference is a voluntary, nonprofit organization representing all phases of music education in schools, colleges, universities, and teacher-education institutions. Active MENC membership is open to all persons engaged in music teaching or other music educational work. Look for the posters and announcements about becoming a part of MENC.
Faculty Advisor: Dale Kruse (x3931) The St. Olaf Student NATS Chapter (National Association of Teachers of Singing) is intended to increase and enhance a student’s knowledge and understanding of singing, pedagogy, vocal science, literature, and artistry, and to stimulate discussions that will benefit future singers and teachers of singing. Membership dues are required.
Named for several founding women of the college, Agnes A Cappella is a treble-voice a cappella group with the purpose to prepare and perform a cappella music and create a fun and collaborative environment for music making. We are student run and arrange all of our own music!
Contact Abby Briese for more information.
Faculty Advisor: Tracey Engleman
The Barbershop CollectiveThe Barbershop Collective strives to create an environment of community, collaboration, and learning through a collective of both independent barbershop quartets and the entire barbershop community on campus.
Contact Wilson Lindbergfor more information.
Faculty Advisor: Wesley Dunnagan
Campus Bands AssociationThe Campus Bands Association is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and uniting student musicians by providing an environment where musicians can share resources, opportunities, and ideas in order to foster a flourishing, student-led music community.
Contact Reece Howell for more information.
Faculty Advisor: Cedric Briand
Hill Harmonics A Cappella is a contemporary collegiate A Cappella group rooted in music, community engagement, and inclusivity. We are a SATB ensemble that holds an on-campus concert each semester. We arrange our own music and hold two weekly rehearsals. Auditions for new members occur at the beginning of the academic year.
Social Media: Instagram
New members join by an audition process that is accessible, and we try to market to as many students as possible. Contact Jenna Dahlberg for more information.
Faculty Advisor: Louis Epstein
The Limestones is an a cappella singing group composed of tenor and bass singers. The group typically consists of 8 members who are students in St. Olaf’s sophomore, junior, or senior classes, and graduating members are replaced by audition each spring. We sing a wide variety of music, from the Beach Boys to Lizzo to Billy Joel to Broadway. We perform two to three concerts in the Pause each year, as well as a number of off-campus gigs. We record and produce an album approximately every three years.
New members join by audition. Contact Tommy Glennon for more information.
Staff Advisor: Brandon Cash
Music Educators Collaborative (MEC)The Music Educators Collaborative (also known as MEC) has been created to help music education students seek professional development opportunities in teaching music in schools and private settings.
Contact Zea Althoff for more information.
Staff Advisor: Leigh Ann Garner
Ole Ave Vocal JazzOle Ave is a small vocal ensemble comprised of various majors and class years. We perform jazz and jazz-adjacent music, a cappella pieces as well as pieces with a jazz combo. We perform at the end of every semester, and have auditions at the start of the semester when necessary. Ole Ave Vocal Jazz was created by a group of Oles with a strong passion for singing and jazz. They wanted to create a community of people that would come together and rehearse and share their joy of jazz music in concert. Their goal is to share their passion with their surrounding community and hopefully get them swingin’ to the beat!
Social Media: Instagram
New members join by audition. Contact Annika Shallberg for more information.
Faculty Advisor: Therees Hibbard
The purpose of the Ole Marching Band is to provide an opportunity for St. Olaf students to explore their passions for marching band and the marching arts. Regardless of prior experience, this organization seeks to build skills in musicianship and marching technique, as well as foster a tight-knit community that is often associated with marching band programs.
Contact Sarah Hall to get added to our mailing list!
Faculty Advisor: Michael Buck
Ole Tiny DormOle Tiny Dorm is a music recording initiative at St. Olaf College, providing musicians of all backgrounds opportunities to have their music captured professionally and shared to the world. Additionally, we provide pre-professional opportunities to students interested in the creative video and audio production process.
Contact Isaac Kitangeto get more information.
Faculty Advisor: Marita Stryker
Spiritus NovusSpiritus Novus is a student ensemble created in 2019 dedicated to lifting voices through community and creativity! As a group of new and upcoming singers and composers, we perform music written by St. Olaf students and collaborate with interdisciplinary groups on campus. We believe strongly in the power of artistry and the role that art can have in our lives. This group welcomes singers of all levels and all backgrounds. You don’t need to be a music major to be in this group; all you need is a love for making music with others and a willingness to work hard in bringing new pieces to life!
Social Media: Instagram
New members join by audition. Contact Will Schroth-Douma for more information.
Faculty Advisor: Therees Hibbard
St. Olaf Taiko was formed in 2004. Our group has strong ties with Enso Daiko (formerly Mu Daiko), a local professional Minneapolis Taiko Group. Iris Shiraishi of Enso Daiko was our original sensei (teacher). Our group has been student-led and part of the St. Olaf community for 18 years and counting.
Contact Hannah Freeman for more information.
Faculty Advisor: Rehanna Kheshgi