Music Studios

of Jan Erickson

Where students learn in a personalized, caring environment.

Classes available

  • Piano
  • Voice
  • Guitar
  • Percussion
  • Brass
  • Woodwinds
  • Strings
  • Music Together®
    A wonderful musical class experience for children up to 6 years and their caregivers.

Our Instructors

Brass
Guitar
Percussion
Piano
Strings
Voice
Woodwinds
Music Together®
Employment Opportunities

Our professional staff of instructors has committed themselves to their art through their advanced training and qualifications. These instructors are experienced in both the performance as well as the teaching aspects of music. Through these experiences, they instruct the techniques and passions of music through individual lessons. Our standards for our teachers are very high.

Currently, we have 23 instructors at our Eden Prairie location. There are 2 with Ph.D. and 2 of the Master's Degreed instructors studying for Doctoral Degrees. 11 with Master's Degrees and the rest with a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree. Listed here are the instructor's names, the date they joined our instructional staff, area of expertise or discipline, and their degree earned to date, along with the institution they studied. Currently, there are 3 instructors with Ph.D.’s, and 1 in a doctoral program. 13 have master’s degrees in their discipline and 2 others are in progress on that degree. The other 20 have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent. The large number of quality degreed instructors increases both the consistency and availability of our quality instruction.

Brass

  • Stuart Sawdey (1994) - Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn
    • MA - University of MN, Minneapolis, MN
    • BA - Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN
  • Jeff Ohlmann (1998) - French Horn, Trumpet
    • MM - Bowling Green State U, Bowling Green, OH
    • BA - Luther College, Decorah, IA
  • Arlys Liebenow (2003) - Trumpet, Trombone
    • Graduate Studies - Univ. of Wisc., Stevens Point, WI
    • BA - Univ. of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
  • Jason Wiley (2006) - Low Brass
    • Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky
  • [Employment Opportunities]
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Guitar

  • Jim Neiburg (1993)
    • University of MN, Minneapolis, MN
  • Troy Flemming (1998)
    • BA - University of MN, Minneapolis, MN
    • AA - Normandale College, Bloomington, MN
  • Lila Karash (2007)
    • Musician's Institute, Hollywood, CA
    • University of Pennsylvania
  • [Employment Opportunities]
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Percussion

  • Stuart Sawdey (1994)
    • MA - University of MN, Minneapolis, MN
    • BA - Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN
  • Scott Kosloski (2001, 2004)
    • MM - Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, MI
    • BA - St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
  • Nathan Fryett (2005)
    • BA - Univ. of MN-Moorhead, Moorhead, MN
  • [Employment Opportunities]
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Piano

  • Larissa Simanenkova (1995)
    • Ph.D. - Leningrad Conservatory, Leningrad, Russia
  • Diana Iskenderova (1995)
    • Azerbaijan Conservatory, Baku, Russia
  • Deb Metz (1996)
    • University of MN, Minneapolis, MN
  • Irina Penchansky (1999)
    • Nizhnly Novgorod Musical College, Novgorod, Russia
  • Nancy Thompson (2000)
    • MM, BFA - University of MN, Minneapolis, MN
  • Karen Harney (2004)
    • University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
  • Peg Frieschel (2007)
    • Arizona State University
  • Thor Polson (2002)
    • Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA
  • Carl Stahlmann (2009)
    • MA - St. Thomas University, St. Paul, MN
    • BA - St. John's University, Collegeville, MN
  • [Employment Opportunities]
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Strings

  • Diana Iskenderova (1995) - Violin, Viola
    • Azerbaijan Conservatory, Baku, Russia
  • Heidi Amundson - Violin
    • Ph.D.(current) Univ of MN, Mpls., MN
    • MA-Rice University, Houston, TX
    • BA - University of Denver, Denver, CO
  • [Employment Opportunities]
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Voice

Woodwinds

  • Vasili Kasatkin (1992) - Sax
    • Ph.d. - Gnesini Pedagogical Academy of Music, Macon, Russia
  • Deb Metz (1996) Flute, Oboe
    • University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
  • Erica McNamara (2001) Flute
    • MM - University of Minnesota (in progress)
    • BA - St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
  • James Prindiville (2002) - Sax, Clarinet
    • BA - St. John's University, Collegeville, MN
  • Arlys Liebenow (2003) - Clarinet, Flute
    • Graduate Studies - Univ. of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, WI
    • BA - Univ. of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD
  • Randy Olson (2004) - Clarinet, Sax
    • University of Minnesota
  • Clay Pufahl (2006) - Sax, Clarinet
    • BA - University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, WI
  • Jerry O'Hagen (2007) - Sax, Clarinet
    • Adv Studies- Berklee School of Music, Boston, and U of MN
    • BA - Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN
  • [Employment Opportunities]
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Music Together® Program

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