Project Amplify is a grant-funded, music education initiative offered to Minnesota K-12 music classrooms at no charge to the school. The program focuses on strengthening learning opportunities for K-12 Minnesota music students from historically marginalized backgrounds. This effort provides transformational programming that nurtures creativity, honors students’ backgrounds, and provides tools and resources to support K-12 educators.
Two new initiatives at MacPhail, the Global Music Initiative (GMI) and the Electronic Music Recording Arts (EMRA) program, provide essential resources for artists from diverse cultural backgrounds along with new and innovative teaching tools to support Project Amplify efforts.
Note for Minnesota K-12 Music Educators: The GMI Teaching Artists-in-Residence is a grant-funded program available to your classroom at no charge. If you are interested in booking time with a teaching artist, you may do so on their calendar link. If you have any questions or would like more information, please reach out to Morgan Huenink at Huenink.morgan@macphail.org.
Dr. Soojin Lee is a professional performer and instructor on the gayageum (a traditional Korean string instrument- pronounced /ka-ya-kum/), Korean drumming, piano, and general music at MacPhail Center for Music. Dr. Lee has over 20 years of teaching experience, including general music instruction for high school students in Korea, private instruction of gayageum and piano, and a residency of Korean music and drumming in American schools. As a performer, her accolades include solo and ensemble work with western musicians in various venues.
A special collaboration with soprano Dr. Mikyoung Park led to forming Duo VoGa (Voice and Gayageum). The duo has performed together for many years and released their debut album Yearning for Love: Reimagining Korean Traditional Art Songs in 2018. The Duo VoGa is currently working on a second album. Dr. Lee’s passion is to introduce gugak (Korean music) help people to understand different cultures and values through musical experience.
Dr. Lee believes that experience with and understanding just one musical culture can be a bridge to many different cultures and their musical traditions. For that purpose, Dr. Lee enjoys discovering new and accessible ways to teach and explain gugak while respecting its uniqueness.
Before coming to the United States, Dr. Lee worked for the National Korean Traditional Music High School as a gayageum and general music teacher. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Korean music (specialized in gayageum performance) from Seoul National University, South Korea and a master’s degree in Social Sciences (specialized in Ethnomusicology) from the University of California, Irvine. She received her PhD in music education (research interests are multicultural music education and pedagogy for teaching Indigenous music in formal education system) at the University of Minnesota.
Project 1: Learn and Enjoy Korean Songs!
1. I will develop a curriculum comprised of selections of Korean songs that can be easily taught in school classes. I will provide selections of Korean songs with background information, lyric pronunciation, lyric translation, pronunciation video, song teaching video, etc. via Google drive. *I already have a Google drive that has teaching materials for several Korean songs. I will add more songs for more available choices.
2. Music teachers can select songs they want to teach their students. I will provide more information or materials upon request.
3. After students learn a Korean song, I will visit the school and play the song with the students. I will also hold a gayageum concert for the students. The concert day can be a community gathering opportunity, too.
Project 2: Hello SamulNori!
1. I will create a Google drive that has teaching materials for Korean drumming, SamulNori. The teaching materials will include the background information of Korean drumming, performance videos, video and notation of simple Korean traditional rhythms (called jangdan). Teachers can teach their students to play Korean rhythms using the provided teaching material.
2. After students learn Korean rhythms using their hands or classroom instruments, I will visit the school and bring Korean drums. Students will have an opportunity to play the rhythms on the Korean drums.
Especially Recommended for elementary and middle school music classrooms.
Note: Dr. Lee will send materials ahead of time to music teachers for preparation.
Availability: Dr. Lee will be scheduling workshop series of 2-3 sessions with schools. Please reach out to Morgan Huenink at Huenink.morgan@macphail.org for more information.
Location: Between Rochester and the Metro area
Format: In-Person
Book Dr. Soojin Lee for your music classroom
Terrell Woods / Carnage The Executioner has spent almost 30 years making music, motivational speaking, performing live as a one-man band, touring the world and working with both youth and adults from various socio-economic backgrounds. He possesses a knack for producing intense, thought-provoking music and establishing strong, healthy relationships. 16 years of teaching human beat boxing/vocal percussion, song writing and composing short stage plays has helped Terrell build an impressive artist resume that extends all the way to Europe (5 tours between 2011 and 2013) and Asia (toured in 2018). Terrell stands firm in his support and practice of positive self-expression, and nurturing leadership skills building. He also speaks in favor of a social justice, human rights and advocacy for the lives and well-being of animals. Terrell encourages mentees to seek personal and artistic growth through education and music – just as he has done for himself. He emits heart-warming, down-to-earth energy when speaking on his experiences around living in poverty and surviving all forms of abuse – as well as growing up in the foster care system as a youth, in welcoming settings. Terrell’s professional services are highly-respected wherever they are implemented. MacPhail Center For Music, COMPAS and SteppingStone Theatre employee contract and consistently contract home for instruction. Even though he plays over 100 live shows a year, Terrell still finds time to teach private lessons, book his own national tours and be a father. Visit
Visit Terrell Woods/Carnage the Executioner faculty page to hear him discuss his work or watch a performance.
My HUMAN BEAT BOXING, RAPPING & PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES courses will focus briefly on the origins of Hip-Hop as a culture and its key elements. Human Beat Boxing (Vocal Percussion) concepts will be taught to ensure skill-building for grades K through 12. Songwriting, the building of stage presence, and audience engagement tactics will encourage grades 6 through 12 to confidently perform live. Both clinics are also adaptable for college-level participants.
OPTIONAL DETAIL: Each student will celebrate their accomplishments during culminating showcases that boast collaborations with their peers.
Especially Recommended for K-6 students
Availability: Many dates are available starting the week of 11/14/2022 through the spring semester of 2023. Availability for one session or a workshop series. Please reach out to Morgan Huenink at Huenink.Morgan@Macphail.org to schedule a workshop series.
Location: Within the metro area and up to 1.5 hours outside of the metro
Format: In-person or online (online classes can only be 1 session)
Music educators: Book Terrell Woods
Krysta “K.Raydio” Rayford is a Midwestern singer/songwriter, producer and teaching artist who resides in Minneapolis, MN and Chicago, IL. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Krysta is a versatile soul musician whose sound blurs the lines between hip-hop and electronic production. Her music has been featured internationally on platforms such as VH1, BBC Radio and Okayplayer. Krysta was a featured performing artist at Soundset Music Festival in both 2014 and 2019, one of the largest hip-hop music festivals in the United States. She has taught and led workshops in the Midwest for over a decade. Krysta is an Electronic Music Recording Arts (EMRA) faculty instructor at MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis. In addition to her work as a musician, Krysta is a voice actor with a unique background in Audio Description narration. Her credits include Empire (FOX), A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO), Independent Lens (PBS), Barbie’s Dreamhouse Adventures (Netflix), and Around The Way (Hulu).
Listen to Krysta Rayford’s podcast Tune Tools
This presentation/clinic in schools will be a collaboration between a Twin Cities metro high school and Krysta. Interested students will participate in a recording arts workshop with a culminating performance/open mic that incorporates community space. Students will create solo and collaborative art pieces that express their creativity in a themed performance at the end of the weekly series. The workshop will focus on music history and various learning techniques, and using artistic identity tools for creative expression.
Especially Recommended for high school music classrooms
Availability: Krysta will be scheduling a series of workshop sessions with high schools. Please reach out to Morgan Huenink at Huenink.morgan@macphail.org for more information.
Location: Metro area
Format: In-person or online
Music educators: Book Krysta Rayford
Born in Conakry, Guinea, Fodé Bangoura has been recognized internationally for his work as the lead drummer with the acclaimed ensembles “Les Merveilles de Guinée”. A protege of the late, Mohamed Kemoko Sano, Fodé is now one of the most respected and sought after drummers of his generation. Teaching and performing in Japan, China, Europe and across the U.S., Fode brings a unique energy and electricity to audiences around the world. He has toured with some of the biggest names in African music such as Sekouba Bambino and Sekouba Kandia Kouyate. In 2007 Fode was honored to have a featured spot on MTV during the celebration of Black History Month and performed at the prestigious Apollo Theater in a Tribute to Bob Marley. In 2007 Fode Cofounded Duniya Drum & Dance Company and began the Fakoly Dance and Drum Project, an annual drum and dance conference held in Minneapolis, MN giving students the opportunity to study and perform with the best of the best in Guinea drum and dance. Fode continues to search for new ways to share his unique art form with others and to bring his rich culture to the world.
Read about Fodé Bangoura, Star Tribune
West African Drumming with Fodé Bangoura
An introduction to the djembe and doun doun. Practice basic hand technique, patterns, and timing, while learning traditional rhythms from Guinea West Africa. Learn the cultural background and significance of the drums and rhythms taught in class.
Especially Recommended for K-12 students in music classrooms.
Instruments: Students participating must each have a drum. Fode will supply 10 drums, and the school may use its supply of hand drums.
Availability: Spring semester 2023. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday after 1 PM, and Monday and Wednesday mornings
Location: Metro area
Format: In-person
Music educators: Book Fodé Bangoura
Yonathan Bekure is a songwriter and bass player that was born and raised in Africa (Ethiopia). He moved to Minnesota shortly before he turned 18. He grew up on Ethiopian and other African music that came from the Ethiopian culture which partially shaped him. A few years after moving to the Twin Cities, he started working as a bass player in the Ethiopian music scene as well as the variety of cultures he has since come across (Gospel, Soul, Reggae…).
He has written and produced recordings as part of a group. His debut EP titled “Every Part Of You” debuted at the end of 2021.
Yonathan Bekure’s album Every Part of You is available to stream on iHeart.
Yonathan works to create unique bridges between different musical contexts to show the shared experience of people of various backgrounds. He composes and performs with the Ethiopian lens that he grew up with as well as all the cultures he’s been exposed to since moving to Minnesota. The performance will share Ethiopian culture, music, and dance, as Yonathan shares his experiences being a musician from Ethiopia and moving to Minnesota. He will share what it is like to be a musician and explore diverse music experiences in Minnesota.
Especially Recommended for any K-12 school, recommended for larger assemblies
Availability: Every Monday and Wednesday starting November 30th through January 11th (except Dec. 21st)
Location: Metro area and some availability outside of the metro. Please email Morgan Huenink at Huenink.morgan@macphail.org if your school is outside the metro area.
Format: In-Person
Music educators: Book Yonathan Bekure
Siama Matuzungidi grew up in rural DR Congo (formerly Zaire) where music was integral to every aspect of life. His family sat outside in the evenings, telling stories and singing under the stars. Drums and balafon conveyed messages and fueled celebrations. Thumb piano provided lullabies and companionship on long walks. At age 12, Siama started teaching himself guitar by playing along to an exciting new style of music on the radio called, “Soukous”. At age 17, he moved to Kinshasa and was quickly enlisted by his favorite band. Siama was an in-demand studio and touring musician, recording hundreds of songs and touring the world with popular Soukous artists. After living in Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Dubai and Japan, he moved to MN in 1996 where he’s earned a McKnight Fellowship and numerous grants, he’s been featured in BBC, TPT, and NPR and his kids’ album won a Parents’ Choice award. In addition to concerts, Siama and his wife Dallas earned World Music Pedagogy certificates from Smithsonian Folkways and they host university and k-12 educational programs, often through their affiliations with MacPhail, MPR, Schubert Club and COMPAS. He’s known for his intricate guitar, catchy songs, spirited vocals and traditional African instruments.
Watch Siama Matuzungidi | Live Performance | Twin Cities PBS Lowertown Line
During this engaging program, Siama Matuzungidi sings and plays acoustic guitar and traditional African instruments like Mbira and Balafon while his wife Dallas plays Congolese shakers and encourages everyone to sing along in Lingala and Kikongo, practicing fun African singing styles like call-and-response, layering, repeating, beat boxing and yodeling. The music is framed by charming stories about their trip to Congo and the program makes students feel like they’re along on the journey too.
Especially Recommended for K-12 students
Availability: Various dates throughout the 22-23 school year. Please visit the booking site for more information. This artist must be booked for at least 3 class periods at your school.
Location: Austin, MN
Format: In-person or online
Music educators: Book Siama Matuzungidi
Ernest Bisong is a violinist, composer, educator, and teaching artist. Introduced to the violin at age nine in Nigeria, he has studied with several notable tutors and performers including Rachel Barton-Pine (American violinist), Sir Godfrey Amoah (Ghanaian violinist), Louis Jones (British violinist), Agnes Nagy (Hungarian cellist), and Thomas Kanitz (cellist of the Reger String Quartet and Dortmund Symphony).
In July 2013, he became the first Nigerian to obtain performance diploma certification from the Associate Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London with a distinction. He has a master’s in violin performance from the McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul Minnesota where he studied with Randy Sabien (jazz violin), Daria T. Adams (violinist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra), and Pete Whitman (saxophonist). He holds K-12 teaching licensure and a Master’s in Education from the from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul MN. Ernest performed at the African Leadership Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with the illustrious Bez (2011). He performed as part of the Nigerian contingent at the African Showcase of the SXSW in Austin, TX (2012). He’s opened for Richard Bona, Mike Stern, Marcus Johnson, Marsha Ambrosius, and Anita Baker. Ernest is a member of Minneapolis String Project, a high-energy string trio of violin, cello, and guitar which deviates from the standard repertoire of classical or bluegrass instruments and instead draws from jazz, fusion, rock, soul, folk, and Brazilian music influences. This group’s EP, Stone Arch Strings, was released in 2019.
Watch a masterclass with Greg Byers (Cello) & Ernest Bisong (Violin) Master Class – sponsored by Twin Cities Jazz Fest Series
Ernest Bisong’s class exposes students to the elements of music within the context of digital music production. Using loops as well as a step sequencer, we will learn how to make drum beats as well as bass lines, chords, and melodies to go with them. We will talk about backbeats and recreate some of the most iconic patterns in pop music. Also, we will discuss notes and scales and how they can be used to create melodies, chords, and bass lines.
Especially Recommended for music classrooms in grades 2-5.
Equipment needed: Students will need access to a tablet and headphones.
Availability: Fridays during the school day during the 22-23 school year
Location: Metro area
Format: In-person or online
Music Educators: Book Ernest Bisong
Many of our teaching artists are available to visit your classrooms in person or virtually. Fill out the form below for more information.
