Music Department

Music Department

Reveal your musical talent at Anoka-Ramsey. Our faculty will inspire you as you prepare for a career in music and develop a lifelong appreciation for the performing arts. Learn more by visiting the Music Department webpage.

 

Who We Are

For more than 50 years, the Music Department at Anoka-Ramsey has trained aspiring musicians and provided opportunities for all students to participate in music. Anoka-Ramsey Community College is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and is passionate about reducing barriers to music education and bringing out the best in all students.

Course Descriptions
Department Directory
Admissions | 763-433-1300
Dean Hannah Oliha-Donaldson | 763-433-1186

Meet Melissa Bergstrom

Melissa Bergstrom at piano
Meet Melissa Bergstrom
Instructor of Music
View All Faculty Profiles

Meet Jared Waln

Jared Waln
Meet Jared Waln
Music program
View All Student Profiles

Degrees & Certificates We Offer

Courses offered range from music theory and music history to private lessons. Everyone is welcome to participate in choir, band, orchestra or one of our ten ensembles.

The Music Department offers one degree:

  • Below is a list of courses offered by the Music department. For more details, visit arccmusic.com/classes. 

    Registration for Current Students

    Introduction to Music Business
    Introduction to Songwriting
    Rock and Roll History
    Jazz History
    Music History and Literature 
    Fundamentals of Music
    Music Therapy, Techniques and Materials
    Introduction to Music Technology
    Music in Film, Television and Gaming
    Audio Recording and Live Sound
    Music Theory
    Aural Comprehension
    Introduction to World Music
    Class Guitar
    Class Piano 
    Music Appreciation
    Introduction to Music Education 
    Applied Lessons
    Keyboarding Skills for Majors
    Hip Hop Music and Social Justice 

  • The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Music Department offers the Associate of Fine Arts degree (AFA) in Music. The AFA includes a complete two-year Music Theory sequence, a year of Music History, Private Individual Lessons and Performance Ensembles in Bands and/or Choirs. Students may transfer as a third year Music student in bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music Education degree programs.

    Through completion of the AFA, students may prepare for careers in music teaching, music therapy, performance, composition, conducting, and music business.

    The mission of the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Music Department is two fold:

    1. To prepare students for careers and advanced study in music by offering an Associate of Fine Arts in Music
    2. To provide music as a general education offering to all students through classroom and performance courses.

    In order to fulfill this mission, the Music Department makes the following commitments:

    ♪ To offer all the courses students need to transfer into four-year music degree programs.

    ♪ To prepare each Associate of Fine Arts Degree student with a solid foundation in music.

    ♪ To prepare students artistically, intellectually, and professionally for the challenging world in which musicians now live.

    ♪ To encourage students to become supporters and advocates of music as an integral part of the human experience.

    ♪ To encourage students to develop an understanding and appreciation of the world of Art Music through general education.

    ♪ To provide opportunities for all students to participate in music ensembles.

    ♪ To provide opportunities for all students to explore individual studio instruction.

    ♪ To expose students to a diversity of global, historical and popular music.

    ♪ To offer music curricula of interest, integrity and innovation.

  • The Music Department is housed in the recently renovated Music Building. This new facility offers two large rehearsal rooms and one small rehearsal room for ensembles, a dual piano/mac lab with music writing and editing software, and six practice rooms for individual practice. Each practice room is open to any Anoka-Ramsey student and is equipped with a Mac computer with music writing and editing software installed.

    View photos of our facilities.

  • Fall 2025

    October 21, 2:00pm in M109
    Guest Performance: Christopher Kachian with Jason Vanselow

    October 28, 2:00pm in M109
    Music Faculty Recital

    November 9, 11:00am at Crystal VFW Banquet Room, 5222 Bass Lake RD, Crystal, MN 55429
    Veterans Day Concert with North Hennepin Community College

    November 21, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    Jazz Ensemble Concert

    November 25, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    Choir Concert

    December 5, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    Concert Band and String Orchestra

    December 9, 2:00pm in M109
    Chamber Ensembles

    December 9, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    Guitar and World Drumming Ensembles

    Spring 2025

    February 28, all day on Rapids Campus
    Anoka-Ramsey’s Geoff West Jazz Fest
    Free to participating schools who register at https://www.arccmusic.com/jazz-festival. Open to the public as space allows.

    March 13, 7:00pm at Faith Lutheran11115 Hanson Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433
    All-Ensemble Concert

    April 14, 2:00 pm in M109
    Music Faculty Recital

    April 28, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    Choir Concert

    May 1, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    Concert Band and String Orchestra

    May 5, 2:00pm in M109
    Rock Ensembles

    May 5, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    Jazz Combos and World Drumming Ensemble

    May 6, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    Jazz Ensemble Concert

    May 12, 7:00pm in Performing Arts Center
    AFA Recital

    May 20, all day on Rapids Campus
    Modern Band Festival
    A festival of performances and clinics open to all K-12 modern bands and performing acts outside the traditional band, orchestra, choir, or jazz model. See https://www.arccmusic.com/modernbandfestival for more information.

     

  • Learn more about Ensembles here.

    Choral

    Instrumental
    Concert Choir Concert Band
    Chamber Singers Jazz Ensemble
    Cambridge Concert Choir String Orchestra
      Guitar Ensemble
      Chamber Ensembles
      World Drumming Ensemble
      Musical Theatre Ensemble

  • Melissa Bergstrom, 763-433-1328

    Full-Time Faculty

    Sam Bergstrom, 763-433-1638

    Full-Time Faculty

    Jason Vanselow, 763-433-1329

    Full-Time Faculty; department chair

    Scott Agster, 763-422-6248

    Trombone Faculty

    jake baldwin, 763-422-3245
    Trumpet Faculty

    Matthew Bertrand

    Bassoon faculty

    Brendon Bushman, 763-422-6246
    Oboe faculty

    Scott Johnson, 763-422-6152

    Saxophone Faculty

    Liz Kuivinen, 763-422-6077

    Piano Faculty

    Laura Levoir, 763-422-6212
    Voice faculty

    Kameron Markworth, 763-422-6193

    Bass Faculty

    rebecca luttio, 763-433-1323
    Voice faculty

    anastasiya nyzkodub
    clarinet faculty

    Joel Salvo, 763-433-1628

    String Faculty

    Dave Schmalenberger, 763-422-1625

    percussion faculty

    Megan Small, 763-433-1416

    music cla & Horn Faculty

    Danielle Vinup

    Voice faculty

More About The Department

The Music Department has two main goals in meeting student needs:

  1. to offer several general music courses such as rock history, world music, music appreciation, class piano, guitar instruction, and individual studio lessons to all students regardless of music background and experience, and
  2. to offer an Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degree in Music, a program that is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

Meet Our Students and Alumni

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  1. Meet Makya NeVilles-Sorell
    Person in a yellow Anoka-Ramsey Community College sweatshirt smiles while holding a pen and writing in a notebook, seated on a gray couch with a small white table.
    Makya NeVilles-Sorell
    Arts & Communication
    AFA Creative Writing
    Person in a yellow Anoka-Ramsey Community College sweatshirt smiles while holding a pen and writing in a notebook, seated on a gray couch with a small white table.

    "Anoka-Ramsey is close to where I live and it has a great reputation."

  2. Meet Patty Koljonen
    Person sitting at a table, wearing glasses and a purple hoodie smiling at the camera in a brightly colored room.
    Patty Koljonen
    Allied Health & Nursing
    Integrative Health and Healing
    Person sitting at a table, wearing glasses and a purple hoodie smiling at the camera in a brightly colored room.

    "The best aspect of Anoka-Ramsey Community College is the people. They simply make the learning experience enjoyable."

  3. Meet Dylan Herbst
    Medical professional in blue scrubs with stethoscope standing confidently in a clinic lobby.
    Dylan Herbst
    Allied Health & Nursing
    Nursing AS
    Medical professional in blue scrubs with stethoscope standing confidently in a clinic lobby.

    "I was quite nervous during the transition from high-school to college. The faculty here worked with me and the process was very smooth. I was sitting in class working toward my future aspirations in no time."

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