Our Team
We are a group of students from St. Olaf College in Music 345B: Race, Identity, and Representation in American Music. Learn a bit more about each of us below!
Elijah Culp is a junior B.M. composition student at St. Olaf College. Elijah is one of the co-leaders of Ole Ave Vocal Jazz and is really excited to be delving into the early spread of jazz. In addition to composition, Elijah loves to sing in choir and record/produce music. He also leads Spiritus Novus as the artistic director. Outside of music and school, Elijah loves to spend time outside and hang out with friends and family
Sam Harris is a senior at St. Olaf. As a B.M. Piano Performance major, he spends most of my time in the practice rooms working on various pieces for upcoming auditions at graduate school. Sam’s dream is to travel around the world as a solo performer and eventually settle down to teach piano. When he’s not playing the piano, you can find him hanging with friends, watching movies, and watching the Vikings play.
Zane Ross is a junior B.A Music student at St. Olaf College. His personal focus is to connect people with resources that are truly helpful to them – adding to the body of work on early jazz with this project is a way in which he can combine his academic and personal pursuits. Enjoy looking at the differences in the career trajectories of these influential people within these maps! Zane hopes this project inspires others to reflect on the people who perform the music that we love.
Lauren Vilendrer is a senior oboe performance major at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. After graduating, Vilendrer hopes to pursue her Masters of Music and her Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees in oboe performance and subsequently audition for opera and/or ballet pit orchestras across the country. Outside of music, Vilendrer likes to create visual art, cook, explore local coffee shops, and spend time with friends and family.