Faculty

Chris Cunningham
ccunningham@mcnallysmith.edu
Department Head, Music Composition
Faculty Member Since: 2002
Primary Department: Composition
Formal Education:

fakeFCKRemovefakeFCKRemoveBA- Film Production/Electronic Music Composition -NYU
 

Professional Experience:

fakeFCKRemovefakeFCKRemoveChris’ lead guitar gig with James Chance (James White) and The Contortions (Blacks) began a twenty-five year period of musical global wandering, involving a multitude of subsequent groupings, pairings, and breakups. He has collaborated on stages and in studios with the likes of Marianne Faithfull, The Lounge Lizards, Gavin Friday, Boukman Eksperyans, Omar Farouk Tekbilek, Katell Keineg, The Golden Paliminos, Marshall Crenshaw, Richie Havens, and The Saqqara Dogs. In the early 1990’s, he also began a continuing collaboration with cellist/composer Michelle Kinney, which has produced CD’s, concerts, and tours. Relocating to the Twin Cities in 2002, he has continued to branch out further into composing and sound designing for moving pictures, producing other musicians, and added laptop VJ-ing to his long list of “axes of choice”. His multimedia remix ensemble Improvised Explosive Device  regularly detonate their experiments in area clubs and festivals, such as the Twin Cities’ Southern Theater. In 1998, he released his first solo CD, Stories To Play, which earned much critical praise and a Grammy nomination. The music for his most recent CD, NEVERWAS, was written and recorded over several years in a wide variety of locations.

Terry Burns
tburns@mcnallysmith.edu
Department Head
Faculty Member Since: 1993
Primary Department: Bass
Secondary Department: Composition
Formal Education:B.A. Augsburg College (Cum Laude)

Professional Experience: Terry has been a professional bassist for 25 years. As a recipient of an Individual Study Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Terry lived in New York and studied under renowned jazz bassist and educator, Rufus Reid. Terry came to McNally Smith from Los Angeles where he studied with Bob Magnesson. His extensive performance credits in live performance, recording, television and film range from work with Linda Rondstadt, Gene Harris, Dewey Redman, Lee Konitz, Marlena Shaw, Jane Monheit, Roseanna Vitro, Freddy Hubbard, Terrell Stafford, Marc Copeland, Larry Goldings, David Benoit, Stanley Turrentine, David “Fathead” Newman, Billy Hart, Ray Bryant, Billy Higgins, Teddy Edwards, Steve Slagle and the great Billy Rodgers. Other Teaching Experience: Terry has written five bass method texts including The Bass: A Comprehensive Approach. Terry is in demand as a clinician and speaker all over the country. Awards and Honors: Terry’s two solo recordings on Songspeak Records were released to critical acclaim and received nominations for “Jazz Recording of the Year” and “Bassist of the Year.”

Dessa Darling
ddarling@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2008
Primary Department: Composition

Professional Experience:

fakeFCKRemovefakeFCKRemoveDessa is a published writer, an award-winning musician, a vibrant teacher, and a proud member of the Doomtree crew. As a rapper, she’s had the opportunity to share stages with KRS One, the Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, and Craig Finn of the Hold Steady.  As a writer and spoken word poet, she is the recipient of the Jerome/SASE grant and a regular contributor to Spin Magazine’s online book forum. As a businesswoman, Dessa has helped to position Doomtree as one of the most exciting and ascendant crews in underground hip hop. She tours nationally, performing her work at schools, clubs, concert halls, and on street corners around the country. As a teacher, Dessa is eager and honored to share what she has learned from her career in independent music—to foster the skills and the ethos that will help emerging talent find success.
 

Mark Henderson
Faculty Member Since: 2004
Primary Department: Composition
Formal Education:  B.M. North Texas State University; M.M. in Saxophone Performance, University of Minnesota

Professional Experience: Mark performed with the famous 1:00 Lab Band, which toured the U.S.S.R. on a State Department tour in 1976. Since 1978, Mark has been a musician in the Twin Cities, working as a freelancer from 1978 to the present, and as the resident woodwind player at the Chanhassen Dinner Theaters from 1988 to 1993. He performs regularly at the Guthrie and Children’s Theaters. In addition, he is an affiliate member of the Minnesota Orchestra and was an original member of the Jazz MN Big Band. Among his credits are four albums with the Ashley Alexander/Frank Mantooth Big Band and albums with the Steve Wright Big Band and the Billy Carrothers Quintet. He has worked as a jazz clinician for festivals from Alaska to Germany. Since 1996, he has been composing music and sound design, as well as engineering for television and radio commercials. In 2003 Mark and his wife Mary started a new company, Dirty Dog Productions, which is producing ad music, as well as corporate video and DVD’s for small business clients in addition to many orchestration and arranging endeavors. In 2006, Mark arranged all the live orchestrations for the Robert Robinson Christmas Tour, featuring a twelve -person orchestra and a one hundred-member choir. Other teaching experience: University of Alaska Fairbanks/Guest Saxophone instructor/jazz clinician; Univ. of Minnesota Jazz Faculty Ensemble; and founding member of JazzMN Big Band

Peter Johnson
pjohnson@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2007
Primary Department: Composition

Professional Experience: Peter has spent his entire career as a full time professional drummer/musician/songwriter. In the mid 70’s, he was a drummer and toured the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand for three years with Manhattan Transfer. He played on "Manhattan Transfer Live", an album recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. He also played on the "Pastiche" Manhattan Transfer studio album.

He has written hundreds of jingles, songs and underscores for commercials, including composing and producing all the music for two "Sesame Street Live" shows, which toured the world.

Peter was the house band drummer for two American Public Radio weekly shows that were heard nationally: "Good Evening" and "First House on the Right," where played with Shawn Colvin, Lyle Lovett, and Harry Connick Jr., among many others.

Peter still exhibits his drumming versatility; in appearances with the Minnesota Orchestra, he’s played Klezmer music with Doc Severinson, and jazz with Dave Brubeck. He plays often with "Synergy," one of the elite variety bands in the Twin Cities. He is the principal percussionist with the Minnesota Sinfonia, a 26-piece chamber orchestra. He makes frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion." Peter has played with Michael Bolton, Sister Sledge, Freda Payne, Trisha Yearwood, Chuck Berry, David Gaines, and Donny Osmond, among many others. He also does recording sessions with local artists.

Christian McGuire
cmcguire@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2005
Primary Department: Composition
Formal Education: M.A. University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota School of Music, Advanced course work in Orchestration, Renaissance counterpoint, and electronic music. B.A. Luther College (1992) - Philosophy with minor in Classical Languages/Study abroad at University of Nottingham, UK 1990-1991. Certification: United Musical Instruments, Certified Product Specialist for Band and Orchestral Instruments/Fender Musical Instrument Company, Certified Product Specialist

Professional Experience: K. Christian McGuire (b. 1970) is an internationally recognized early music scholar for his work on the liturgical chant of Hildegard von Bingen.  He is a Saint Paul based instructor, composer, author, carpenter, electric bassist and musicologist. He holds a Master of Arts in Musicology from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts (1992) in Philosophy with a minor in Latin and Ancient Greek from Luther College in Decorah, IA.

His diverse research interests include: 12th Century liturgical practices, theory, and notation of Northern Germany and the Low Countries; Mozart Opera; History, Performance, and Orchestral Timbres of the Electric Bass; and Late 1960s/early 1970s Heavy Blues and Progressive Rock.

Since 2004, he has served the Minnesota High School Music Listening Contest board as musicologist, authoring the 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2007-08 study guides, as well as compiling and editing the guide for 2006-07.

An electric bassist for nearly 25 years with experience in every conceivable setting, Christian is currently writing a book / multi-media manual on the history, performance practice, technique and repertoire of the electric bass in non-popular music genres.  The work promises to be the one stop source for composers and performers who wish to incorporate the many timbres of this remarkable instrument.

He lives in the Como Park neighborhood of Saint Paul with his wife, two children, two cats and German Shepherd.

Gary Rue
grue@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2007
Primary Department: Composition
Secondary Department: Music Business

Professional Experience:

 Primarily a composer, Gary has been writing music since his early teens.  Recording credits include LOST IN THE SHUFFLE performed by Helen Reddy on the European release of her greatest hits compilation, and EVERYONE, recorded by Nick Lowe on his Columbia Records release THE ROSE OF ENGLAND (the song found its way to Nick via pop idol Elvis Costello, a fan of Rue's band, RUE NOUVEAU).
Mr. Rue has 65 theater musicals to his credit, among these is PAINTING IT RED by Steven Dietz (author of the Pulitzer Prize nominee LAST OF THE BOYS), which enjoyed wide exposure nationally, including a very successful 6 week run at BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATER’s Second Stage in Berkeley, California.  Gary is also composer-in-residence at SteppingStone Theater For Youth Development of St Paul, where, along with compositional duties, he provides underscore and sound design for many productions.  One of his commissions for SteppingStone, THE STINKY CHEESE MAN (original book by John Sciezca and adapted for the stage by Kent Stephens) recently completed a national tour (including a series of performances in Shanghai, China) with the Dallas Children’s Theatre.
Gary had served since 1986 as conductor and arranger in North America for ‘60’s pop star Gene Pitney (“The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, “Town Without Pity”) and his 15 piece orchestra until Mr. Pitney’s death in 2006.
Finally, Mr. Rue is a composer/sound designer/producer for radio, television and film (most notably the Mall Of America campaign: “There’s a Place For Fun In Your Life”) as well as a guitarist, vocalist, pianist, touring musician, keyboard programmer and instructor in the art of composition and the business of artist management.

Watch Gary talk about songwriting.

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.