Renee Vaughan is a Minnesota-based artist who brings Sweden’s folk traditions to life through music, dance, painting, and storytelling. Rooted in history and guided by curiosity, she connects old ways to new spaces and communities, inviting people to explore their ideas of culture and home. Her primary form of expression is the resonant nyckelharpa, the national folk instrument of  Sweden. For almost two decades, Renee has performed at venues like the American Swedish Institute, Norsk Høstfest, and the Minnesota Orchestra’s Nordic Soundscapes Festival.

Becky Schlegel's music is original, drawing on the influence of classic country, bluegrass, folk, and her own thoughtful spirit. Her incredible voice floats, whispers then soars above music of the highest quality. Becky takes her listeners on a musical journey, exploring new places and meeting new people in every song.

Praised by the New York Times as “an impressive violinist, playing intimately and sweetly at one moment and with fearless enthusiasm at the next,” Leslie Shank leads a busy musical life as soloist and chamber musician.  She was a member of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra for 30 years, 24 of them as assistant concertmaster. Ms. Shank is a founding member of the Isles Ensemble, composed of many of the Twin Cities’ foremost chamber musicians; she plays both violin and viola in the group. Leslie Shank earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School.

A founding member of the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet, Joseph Hagedorn performed with the group from 1986 until 2023, touring to some 30 states, Mexico, China, Germany, Serbia, and Montenegro, Bulgaria, Northern Macedonia and recording six CDs. Hagedorn earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Cornell College and a Master of Music degree from the University of Minnesota. In 1990, he was the first prize winner at the Guitar Foundation of America International solo competition. Hagedorn has served on the music faculty of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls since 1988, and his solo and concerto appearances have taken him to more than 25 American cities and Canada.

The Shank-Hagedorn Duo has recorded two CDs on the Innova and Centaur labels and performed concerts in Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Oregon, California and Mexico.

Rochester Area Handbells (RAH) was formed in 2017 and is directed by Paul Kingsbury. The mission of Rochester Area Handbells is to promote musical excellence in handbells, providing artistic challenge and growth opportunities for ringers, and expanding understanding and appreciation of the art form for audiences in Southeast Minnesota.

Members of Choral Arts Rochester's choirs, the Ensemble and the Treble Singers, will spread holiday cheer with a variety of Christmas carols. Established in 1985, Choral Art Rochester is a community choral organziation dedicated to inspiring, educating, and enriching the community  through outstanding choral performance.