Faculty

Janis Weller
jweller@mcnallysmith.edu
Chair, Liberal Arts
Faculty Member Since: 2007
Primary Department: General Education
Secondary Department: Brass and Woodwinds
Formal Education:Ed.D in Educational Leadership from University of St. Thomas (in progress); M.A. in Human Development (focus on musician career development); B.A. in music, Luther College; completed masters coursework in musicology and flute performance, University of Minnesota

Professional Experience: As a flutist, Janis is particularly devoted to working with living composers and new music. She has premiered over 100 new works and been part of over 30 commissions. A founding member and co-artistic director of the Sylmar Chamber Ensemble, Janis has also performed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Intergalactic Contemporary Ensemble, Minnesota Composers Forum, and many other ensembles. She freelances in the Twin Cities area.

She developed and taught innovative courses in career development and music business at the University of Minnesota, Augsburg College, and University of St. Thomas, and flute at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and MacPhail Center for Music.

Janis serves on the Commission for the Education of the Professional Musician of the International Society for Music Education (ISME). She has presented workshops, papers, and poster sessions on a variety of musician career issues nationally and internationally at conferences of ISME in Hanoi, Vietnam and Barcelona, Spain, and in Bologna, Italy in 2008, in addition to the College Music Society, Suzuki Association of the Americas, Minnesota Music Teachers Association, Minnesota Music Educators Association, National Careers Conference 2005, Minnesota Career Development Association, and National Flute Association.

Becky Weis
General Education Courses Coordinator
Faculty Member Since: 2002
Primary Department: General Education
Secondary Department: Composition
Formal Education: Ph.D. candidate, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Major area of study: European Traditional Musics; secondary area: Latin American Traditional Musics. M.A. University of Minnesota, Musicology and Ethnomusicology 1989; B.A. Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota; concert master of the Macalester Orchestra

Professional Experience: Performer of Scandinavian Fiddle Traditions since 1988; American Swedish Institute Midwinter Folkmusic Festival 2006; Kennedy Center Millenium Stage 2003; Revels, Inc., Nordic Revels, 2002; Minneapolis Children’s Theatre, The Snow Queen, 2002; Folklore Village Scandinavian dance fiddling 1998-2005; American Swedish Institute Spelmanslag 1985 to present; Twin Cities Nyckelharpalag 1998 to present; Scandinavian dance and music camps, on staff at Buffalo Gap/Nordic Fiddles and Feet 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003; Scandia Camp Mendocino 1994, 1997-99; Ashokan 1991, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Lulu, 1985 Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company, concertmaster 1981-1986; Kenwood Chamber Orchestra, 1980-1986, concertmaster 1983-1986. Awards and Honors: Performance at Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. July 2003; Phi Beta Kappa Memberships: Phi Beta Kappa Society, Society for Ethnomusicology, American Swedish Institute, American Nyckelharpa Association, Hardanger Fiddle Association of Americal.  Becky plays classical violin in local orchestras and theaters, including the Kenwood Chamber Orchestra, Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company, and Theater de la Jeune Lune. Becky developed her Scandinavian heritage musical traditions into performance of Swedish and Norwegian fiddle traditions, studying extensively in Norway and Sweden. She researches, performs, and teaches the Swedish nyckelharpa (key fiddle) and Norwegian hardingfele (Hardanger fiddle) music at venues across the U.S. Other Training: Studies on Swedish and Norwegian fiddle traditions, in U.S. and Scandinavia, 1981-present. Courses attended at Ole Bull Akademiet, Österbybruk, and Erik Sahlström Institute. Classical violin studies from 1968-1989.