Julie Johnson, Jacqueline Ultan, and DJ Snuggles
Flutist, composer, & improviser Julie
Johnson brings her distinct sound and
approach to many multi-genre projects.
julieflute.net
Cellist Jacqueline Ultan is a singularly
creative artist in her field with a
distinctive voice as a performer, composer
and improviser.
Snuggles is one of the best beatboxers in
the world. He is a world-class artist and
vocal percussionist known for explosive
sounds & extravagant performances.
That Beat... #SnuggLife
Sarah White + Band
SARAH WHITE HAS PERFORMED INTERNATIONALLY, SHARING STAGES AND COLLABORATING WITH TALENTED ARTISTS INCLUDING YASIIN BEY, K-OS, MACY GRAY, KING BRITT, J*DAVEY, AND M.ANIFEST. SARAH OFFERS VERSATILITY WITH MULTITUDE OF EXPERIENCE INCLUDING LIVE BAND PERFORMANCES & DJ SETS TO VOCAL SOUNDSCAPES & ACOUSTIC CANDLELIT HARMONIES. PROVING THAT BEING A MOTHER DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO DROP A BEAT, SARAH HAS INDEPENDENTLY RELEASED 2 SOLO ALBUMS, HER VOICE IS FEATURED ON RECORD LABEL RELEASES FROM THE MIDWEST TO TOKYO AND SHE WON SCION’S BEST ELECTRONIC VOCALIST COMPETITION WHILE LIVING IN NYC. RECENT PROJECTS INCLUDE TRAVELING TO CUBA AND RECORDING IN HAVANA, NEON SOUL BAND - SHIRO DAME -, AND THE NEW EP: LAUGHING AT GHOSTS.
THE LIVE BAND: BLAYR ALEXANDER / DRUMS, TASHA BARON / KEYS, RY DILL / BASS, SARAH WHITE / VOCALS & LYRICS.
Amanda Weber
Founder + Director, Voice of Hope Choir, Shakopee Women's Correctional Facility
Amanda has sung in choirs her whole life, but only recently come to understand the transformative power of music in very unexpected places. Her latest work has taken her behind the walls of the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee, where a growing group of women are learning to use their voices in a powerful way. This choir may be well hidden, but their message of restorative justice and community rings out loud and clear.
Ariella Forstein
Vocalist + Vocal Empowerment Coach
You don't need to be a performer, opera singer, professional speaker or even a pop star to have a voice. The vibration of our vocal chords reverberates throughout our body, and we all have a voice to be freed. Ariella helps people move through emotional and mental blocks about their fear and anxiety of sharing their voice with the world.
Roger Dumas
Research Associate, University of Minnesota Brain Sciences Center
He met John Lennon. He taught Prince how to program Synth. He was on the team that composed Funkytown. The work he wants to debut on the TEDx stage thrills him even more and will bring insights into how we subconsciously consume sound from the great artists we admire - the brain's relationship with music.
Toki Wright
Department Head, McNally Smith College of Music Vice President, Soul Tools
Toki Wright is a 4 time Emmy nominated and 2 time CLIO Award-winning multidisciplinary artist and organizer. Wright has released albums through his imprint Soul Tools Entertainment and Rhymesayers Entertainment charting top 50 on MTV, iTunes, and more. Wright is the Department Head of the United States’ first fully accredited Hip-Hop Studies program at McNally Smith College of Music. Toki is an arts ambassador and MC regularly touring Africa, South America, Europe, and Asia. Wright cocurated the Cannes Lion-nominated Watch The Stove mixtape for Hamburger Helper which became one of the world’s largest viral marketing campaigns of 2016. Under the producer moniker Mamadu, Wright has
also been behind the scenes producing for various artists. Toki also cohosts
Soul Tools Radio Saturday nights from 9-11PM on KFAI FM Radio.