Saturday, March 28, 7-9pm
Headwaters Music & Arts
519 Minnesota Ave NW, Bemidji
$8 advance | $10 day of concert
Singer, songwriter and guitarist Dave Cofell will perform 7-9 pm Saturday, March 28 at Headwaters Music & Arts in Bemidji. In 2016 and 2017, Dave Cofell was selected to perform for the American Folk Life Center for the Library of Congress. Dave has shared a stage with John Gorka, Garnet Rogers, Ronny Cox, Billy Bragg and more.
Dave is a study in easygoing amiability and unforced charisma. His music is eclectic, a woven tapestry of songs and stories with an over-all arc that comes together and tells a tale to remember. Scores of fans and promoters the world over will attest that attending one of Dave’s performances is a wonderful experience. With the gift of a consummate storyteller, Dave shares both funny and tender moments. He is an artist whose first love is music and it shows. He charms crowds with self-teasing humor, tart progressive insight, and a Midwestern broad spectrum Americana sound.
Cofell will be joined onstage by Nathan Ness, a folk singer songwriter from St. Cloud. Ness tells intimate and heartfelt stories through his melodic folk and acoustic Americana original songs. Nathan’s music transports audiences back in time as he blends musicianship, creativity and tradition through his inspirational lyrical content.
Nathan draws his repertoire from nearly a century of musical history, true to the traditional music from the early 20th century and has been influenced by the more contemporary music of the latest half-century. Ever-evolving, Nathan also peppers in several original compositions that feel like they could have been written long ago. Fans appreciate what they’ve called a “clever and eclectic repertoire” and “a great laundry list of standards that patrons of all ages can enjoy!”
A portion of the concert proceeds support Headwaters Music & Arts programming. Tickets are $8 or $10 day of concert. Purchase your tickets now.
16 – Adult | $50
6-9 pm Friday March 27th and 10 am-2:30 pm Saturday, March 28th with a half hour lunch break at noon on Saturday
Headwaters Music & Arts |519 Minnesota Ave NW, Bemidji
Headwaters Music & Arts will host a two-day finger painting and color theory course lead by by local artist and teacher, Alice Blessing the weekend of March 27th. Participants will be introduced to color theory and finger painting techniques in this hands-on painting class as each student creates a large painting of a bird to take home.
Participants will learn to mix the whole spectrum using the primary colors, as well as how white and black affect hues and mixtures. Throughout the workshops, participants will learn basic ideas and theories about art, painting, materials, and composition. The goal is to enjoy painting and have a lot of fun.
Alice is known for her finger-painted portraits of people and animals. She has taught Painting, Drawing, and Color Theory classes at Bemidji State University. Over the past year she has been working on her newest series of portraits about marginalized young girls in northern Minnesota, a series made possible by a grant from Region 2 Arts Council, with funding from the McKnight Foundation. She says, “I’m deliberately using bold, intense colors this year while knowing that they have always been an important part of my paintings, my style, and my message. However, my experience as a teacher has taught me that everybody has unique reactions to color, and the best thing I can do is help people identify the colors that make them feel strong, or happy, or relaxed. I have developed this workshop to produce a lively yet realistic painting that is easily adjustable to individuals’ color preferences.”
The workshop is for ages 16-adult and will be held 6-9 pm Friday March 27th and 10 am – 2:30 pm Saturday, March 28th with a half-hour lunch break at noon on Saturday. All supplies are provided but participants will need to plan their own meals. There are limited spots available so folks are asked to register by March 20th . The cost to attend is $50/participant with scholarships available. Register now.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Headwaters Jam Band is a 4 week program dedicated to exploring instrumental improv and composition in a group setting.
This monthly program is for participants aged 13-18 with prior experience with their instrument. The group meets on Tuesday’s in the Headwaters East Studio (519 Minnesota Ave NW, Bemidji). The group jams from 6-8pm each evening. Participants are encouraged to show up at 5:30 for setup. Participants are required to provide their own instruments and amps (if applicable) with the exception of the drum kit. The program is not genre specific. Each month the different groups will work together to create their own unique sound – all musical aspirations are welcome. Advance registration is required – limited spots available. Those who are interested in learning more or taking part in Headwaters Jam Band are asked to fill out the interest form below.
Mini Musician, an 8 session program led by experienced general music teacher Leisa Bragg, will be packed with singing, movement and dance. Held 4:45 – 5:30 pm on Monday, kids and adults will explore the building blocks of music together through play and experimentation.
Leisa Bragg is an instructor of piano, voice and clarinet at Headwaters Music & Arts with over 20 years experience in Colorado as a public school band, choir and general music teacher, theater and church music director, and private lesson instructor. Leisa brings her core belief that “music is a vital part of everyone’s existence, no matter what the age” and looks forward to sharing her knowledge and passion for music with Bemidji area children and adults.
Advance registration is required as there are Limited number of spots available. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The cost to attend is $100 per child ($90 for Headwaters members). Register now.
Lil Artist is an 8 session art program held on Tuesdays from 3:15 – 4:00. The program. Led by Diamond Knispel, will be filled with fun and messy art projects that will introduce pre-k children to basic art concepts such as color and texture while exploring age-appropriate media.
Diamond Knispel is a local artists and art instructor with 8 years of experience teaching art to various ages and abilities through tutoring and group classes. Diamond believes creating and learning about art is as much about the process as it is the outcome, and she brings this belief into her teaching, putting an emphasis on fun and exploration.
Advance registration is required as there are Limited number of spots available. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The cost to attend is $100 per child ($90 for Headwaters members). Register now.
Headwaters Music & Arts hosts world-class bluegrass entertainers Monroe Crossing in concert at the Historic Chief Theater in Bemidji 7:30 pm Saturday, April 18th, with 7 pm opening performances by No Rest for the Pickers and Julie and Bill Kaiser.
Named in honor of Bill Monroe, Monroe Crossing dazzles audiences with an electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and heartfelt originals. Their airtight harmonies, razor sharp arrangements, and on-stage rapport make them audience favorites across the United States and Canada. The concert will highlight their most recent CD, “Monroe Crossing Plays Classic Country” honoring country legends such as Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. Doors open at 6:20 pm.
$25 tickets are available at Brigid’s Pub or Headwaters Music & Arts, 218.444.5606, online or by stopping in at 519 Minnesota Ave NW. Admission is open seating, advance ticket purchase is recommended. Hosted by Headwaters Music & Arts, proceeds support Headwaters Music Program scholarships. Businesses or individuals interested in being an event sponsor are asked to contact Headwaters Music & Arts.
“Everyone who came had the time of their life that evening. Your show was just incredible….one of the freshest and original groups I have experienced….I was just blown away.” — Bill Adams, Habitat For Humanity, Waldorf MD
Headwaters Music & Arts celebrates the winter season with a concert and silent auction 4-6 pm Sunday, December 8 at 519 Minnesota Ave NW in Bemidji. The event highlights artists featured on the 2018 album, Northwoods Winter: Christmas in Bemidji Vol. III, as well as contributors to our 2016 CD. Both were recorded at Supple Studios in Bemidji. CDs and digital downloads will be available to purchase.
The event includes an exhibit and silent auction of re-imagined musical instruments. Encore: Instruments Reimagined is a group exhibit featuring the art of local artists and Headwaters supporters who donated their time to transform unusable musical instruments into surprising and innovative works of art to auctioned off as a fundraiser. The initiatives raises funds for Headwaters with the goal to replace the art studio furnace and install an AC system.
Attendees can look forward to live music performed by regional musicians including Sonny Johnson, Annalise Aakhus, and others aswell as hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and a cash bar courtesy of Brigid’s Pub. Advance tickets are $10, $15 at the door. Proceeds from the event will go towards Headwaters Music & Arts renovation projects while album sales support Headwaters Music & Arts Scholarship Fund, which is dedicated to giving more young musicians the opportunity to learn and love music.
