See Class Notes Artists in free community concerts across Minnesota  

Greater Minnesota audiences will get the chance this spring to hear music by Minnesota-based artists presented as part of the YourClassical Class Notes Community Concert Series. Class Notes usually serves students through in-school performances, but these community concerts, in Grand Rapids, Luverne, Granite Falls and Ely, are free and open to the public.

Paper Clips

First up is a concert Friday, March 7, in Grand Rapids by Paper Clips, the Minneapolis-based trombone quartet that showcases the history and cultural impact of Motown Records and its legacy in a program called “Hitsville, USA.” The group combines the soul and rhythms of 1960s classics, connecting them to Black American musical roots.

The quartet (comprising trombonists Ben Bussey, Lauren Husting, Chris Allen and Brooklynne Audette) also will play a concert April 24 in Luverne. 

Registration is not required for either concert.

When: 4 p.m. March 7
Where: Rapids Brewing Company, 214 No. Pokegama Ave., Grand Rapids, Minn.

When: 7 p.m. April 24
Where: Grace Lutheran Church, 500 Kniss Ave., Luverne, Minn. 

Steam Machine

Steam Machine, a Minneapolis music and dance ensemble that performs old-time and bluegrass music, will perform May 1 in Granite Falls. The trio, which includes fiddler A.J. Srubas, guitarist (and “dance instigator”) Rina Rossi and banjo player David Robinson, has a self-professed “Midwest-influenced string aesthetic.”

When: 6-7 p.m. May 1
Where: Yes! House, 726 Prentice St., Granite Falls, Minn. No registration required. 

Wood N’ Wind

The last of the spring concerts, May 27 in Ely, is by Wood N’ Wind, a flute and double bass duo that focuses on Western classical music and highlights connections to other genres. Flutist Karen Baumgartner and bassist Jason Wells use the unusual pairing of their instruments to share emotions and imagination. 

When:  6-7 p.m. May 27
Where: Vermilion Community College Fine Arts Center, 1900 E. Camp St., Ely, Minn. Co-hosted by the Northern Lakes Arts Association. RSVP is requested; information to come.

All concerts are made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Lauren Husting of Paper Clips is a recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. The Paper Clips concerts are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the state arts board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.