Songwriters in the Round #25 at the Hallberg Center for the Arts.
Every two months we bring in songwriters from across Minnesota and Wisconsin to perform their original music in the intimate setting of the Hallberg Center for the Arts, an old turn of the century church that's been repurposed.
This event was held outside of the art center under our big tents on Thursday, September 10th.
Songwriters in the Round starts promptly at 7pm. A wonderful evening of original music at the affordable price of FREE. Seating is limited so please come early. Stay after and meet the musicians! This month's performance is has a twist... instead of 3 individual songwriters, we are featuring two songwriting duo's. This month's songwriters are Susan LaVelle and Matt Dorland who will share the stage with the Katey Bellville Band.
Susan LaVelle and Matt Dorland
Original ballads, blues and songs, with a touch of jazz. The thread weaving in-and-out of whatever Matt and Susan write and perform is life: life in the biggest view and in all the littlest snapshots of our common experience—with an underlying tone of hope, love, and relationship.
Matt Dorland is a professional pianist, music educator, and songwriter based out of the Twin Cities. In addition to teaching a studio of over 50 students, he is the Music Director at Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret in Chanhassen, MN, where he improvises hit songs on the spot. Matt’s extensive background in jazz piano lends a distinctive Latin and blues-inspired sound to his work, with influences of Cole Porter, Billy Strayhorn, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Susan LaVelle is a singer and lyricist from the Twin Cities. A love for writing and singing has been hers since childhood, which led her to a professional focus on and a master’s degree in writing. Her musical influences are wide, but she credits several female musicians as her inspiration for musicality, individuality, creativity, and tenacity: Ella Fitzgerald, Annie Lenox, Annie Herring, and Bonnie Raitt.
Katey Bellville Band
With a nostalgic appreciation for old time tunes, Katey Bellville inevitably pines for traditional sounds while composing contemporary songs. Raised both in the rolling hills of the country on horseback and deep in the heart of the city of Minneapolis - she has always stirred a brew of reverse passions. Dedicated listeners describe her original songs as ‘unforgettable’, blending modern pop sensibilities with fundamental bluegrass instrumentation.
Katey Bellville has shared the stage with Alison Krauss at the Ryman Auditorium, yodeled atop Haleakala in Maui at 10,000 feet, performed on live international radio, toured Hutterite colonies through Montana, and the list goes on. Returning to the festival scene after a baby (2) raising hiatus, she sings because 'she needs to'. Like water, like air... music.
Thank you to our sponsors:
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.