Music With Meaning In Woodbury

Fourteen local musicians will come together at a Woodbury home on Saturday as part of a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

The event is aimed at helping Alex Amble, 15, reach his goal of raising $1 million to fight muscular dystrophy.

Lynne Thornsjo—a music lover who has played piano since she was 8—is organizing the event at her 6279 Crackleberry Alcove home. The event runs from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 11. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, with proceeds going to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). It is free to attend.

“We hope hundreds of people will come and enjoy the music. We have musicians scheduled at specific times so people can come to hear their favorites. Stay for 30 (minutes) or stay all afternoon,” Thornsjo said in a release. “We had 400 people here for the garden tour so I think we can handle lots of people. They can not only enjoy the music, they can enjoy my gardens.”

The idea for the fundraiser came during winter, when Thornsjo was talking with her grandson, Jacob, and Alex, her neighbor. Alex has a disease called CMT1A.

When he was 14, Alex recorded his first piano CD and has dedicated his time to raising money ($1 million) to find a cure for MD diseases.

“I just love Alex and want to help him on his mission to raise one million dollars for muscular dystrophy. He’s such a great kid and we love to do music together,” Thornsjo said.

Musicians for Saturday’s event include: Kathy Parsons, piano; Alex Amble, piano; Pasha Amble Gravdahl, piano; Jacob Drusch, guitar; Maya Drusch, vocalist; Marie Vestal, piano; Mary Karlsson, piano; Gabe Gazzola, guitar; Haley McCullum, vocalist; Alex Berger, vocalist; Brad Wright, Larry Tempel, Mark Krusemeyer, MN Dolce Recorder Ensemble; and Lynne Thornsjo, piano.

Several local businesses are supporting the event, including , , , , , , , and .

“It is just so great to have all these businesses in the east metro support us as we work to raise money for the MDA,” Alex said in the release.

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To make donations to Alex’s MDA mission, click here.

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• Noon—Alex Amble and Jacob Drusch (trumpets)
• 12:15 p.m.—Pasha Amble (piano solo)
• 12:30 p.m.—Kathy Parsons (piano solo)
• 1 p.m.—Kathy Parsons & Lynne Thornsjo (two pianos)
• 1:15 p.m.—Alex Amble & Lynne Thornsjo (two pianos
• 1:30 p.m.—Maya Drusch (vocal soloist)
• 1:45 p.m.—Gabe Gazzola (piano and vocals
• 2:45 p.m.—Marie Vestal (piano solo)
• 3:15 p.m.—Mary Karlsson (piano solo)
• 3:30 p.m.—Alex Amble (piano solo)
• 4 p.m.—MN Dolce Recorder Ensemble: Brad Wright, Larry Tempel and Mark Krusemeyer

Alex Amble

Alex started to play piano at age 3. He was in New York City for a week for the David Letterman show at age 7 and was asked to return to perform during sweeps. Alex was in Russia at the time and performed on stage at the Children's Theater in Khabarovsk Russia.

Alex began to write music at the age of 11. He loves classical and jazz music. He continues to study both. Alex also plays trumpet, baritone, percussion, guitar and a bit of saxophone.

Alex's first album, Sunrise, was first released on April 23, 2010. His single, When The Sun Goes Down, and Sunrise are available for online downloads. Alex wrote When The Sun Goes Down as a tribute to all those who have muscular dystrophy, a disease which he also has. His goal is to raise $1 million for MDA through sales of this song.

Alex is also an award-winning artist. He was born in Uglich, Russia, and has been selling his art since he was 9 years old. His art includes watercolors, color pencil, drawings, photography and fused glass. At age 15, he is a typical American boy who not only likes do artwork, he also enjoys science, math, playing the piano, swimming, riding bike, inventing things and reading adventure books.

Alex Berger

Alex is 15 and in ninth grade at . He started singing in his church choir at age 3 or 4. He has performed in community theaters since he was 9 and continues to do that as well as sings in church and school groups. Alex just loves to sing, perform and act. He and Alex Amble have known each other since their early choir days at church when they were 3 or 4 years old.

Berger likes school and loves baseball, which he used to play. A highlight for Alex was playing the lead role in Willy Wonka and being in his first high school production as an eighth-grader. Alex has a long résumé of theater productions and choirs. He also continues to study his craft with piano, voice and acting lessons.

Gabrielle Gazzola

Gabe loves to swim, play music and color. This high school senior has been playing piano for 14 years and guitar for 7. She participates in musical groups, including the King of Kings Lutheran Church contemporary Worship Team. She has played at the Coffee House at her high school for the past three years.

Gabe got involved in piano at age 4, when her mother signed her up for piano lessons. She added guitar at age 11. For Gabe, music is a joy and a passion. Her favorite class is band where she plays percussion. Otherwise, her favorite class is English.

Gabe also has plays slap guitar and is a member of SEMS (Southeast Metro Sharks Swim Team) and her high school varsity swim team. She was named All Conference this year.

Gabe is a senior at , where she will graduate with Highest Honors. She will be attending Gustavus Adolphus College where she received both an academic scholarship and a music scholarship. She is tentatively majoring in English/music.

Gabe is full of energy and packs her schedule to overflowing. A wonder at time management, she does well in all of her activities. Gabe also has a great sense of humor, and enjoys family and friends.

Haley McCullum

Haley is a senior at Woodbury High School. She sings soprano and says she has been singing all of her life. She remembers when her little sister was a baby and toddler. Haley would prop up her sister and sing “Shania Twain” to her. Haley was 6 when she started doing that. When she was 5 she would sing Celine Dion songs in her bed.

For the pasat 3 years she has performed in the Coffee House at WHS. She is in choir at her school and has participated in the Cabaret, which her school does annually.

Haley like school and used to be passionate about swimming. She spent 12 years on the pool deck. A swimming injury slowed things down the last year. Yet she was still captain of the swimming team and Nordic Ski team.

Haley plans to pursue a communications degree at the University of North Dakota and is anxious to try-out for the UND choir. She also hopes to participate in the theater program there.

Pasha Amble Gravdahl

Pasha loves to play piano and entertain. Pasha is 9 years old and started playing piano at age 4. In addition to piano, Pasha loves to sing and is a talented magician and award-winning young artist. He was born in Khabarovsk, Russia, and has been selling his art since he was 4 years old. His art includes watercolors, color pencil, and photography. At age 9, he loves going to school and doing homework. He also likes to play with his brother, read, swim, talk, sing, play the piano and do gymnastics.

Jacob Drusch

Jacob is 14 years old and lives in Ogilvie, Minn. He is in seventh grade and in addition to music loves sports, especially baseball and basketball.

Jacob has played guitar for 6-7 years and trumpet for three years. He plays trumpet in his school band. Jacob just loves to dabble in music and enjoys playing duets with his grandmother. He is passionate about blues and jazz. Jacob is an animal and nature lover too, and has dogs, cats and horses at his home in Ogilvie.

Maya Drusch

Maya is 10 years old and at a young age has been recognized by her school of her excellent vocal ability. May is in fourth grade and lives in Rosemount. She has been asked to perform in special programs in her school and often is a soloist. She loves to sing and perform.

Maya also loves school, reading, gymnastics and dancing. She has been said to enjoy being in charge of her classroom. She is rather precise and particular and likes keeping things in order, both at school and at home. She has one brother, Noah.

Mary Karlsson

Mary started to play piano at age 7, having a natural talent for the piano. She lives in Hastings. Mary is the mother of two adult children. She is also a talented gardener and cook. Mary loves classical music and is especially passionate about Chopin, Beethoven and Mozart.

Kathy Parsons

Parsons started playing piano when she was 7 year old. She continues to love to play piano at various venues in the Twin Cities. Kathy lives in west Bloomington, and is a retired computer science professional.

“I feel so rewarded to be part of helping Alex in his Million Dollar Mission,” she said in the release.

Parsons especially enjoys classical, jazz and pop music.

Lynne Thornsjo

Thornsjo has been playing piano since she was 8 years old. She played at church and school as a teenager, accompanies voices (solo and group) and instruments. She also competed as at state music contests. In addition to piano, Thornsjo sang and played trumpet as a youngster.

Currently, Thornsjo plays as a substitute pianist for churches and to accompany soloists. Lynne plays mostly classical music and thoroughly enjoys play duets with her fellow musician friends. She also loves to make music with her grandchildren. Lynne lives in Woodbury. She has two adult sons and three grandchildren. If Thornsjo is not playing piano, she is in her flower gardens, her other passion. She is also excited to have recently acquired her second grand piano.

Marie Vestal

Vestal is a resident of Inver Grove Heights and is currently a student at the University of Minnesota-Duluth as a freshman where she is studying engineering. She has been playing piano for 10 years. In addition to enjoying music, she loves swimming and gardening. She works at the YMCA when she is not in school.

MN Dolce Recorder Ensemble: Brad Wright, Larry Tempel, Mark Krusemeyer

Wright is a chemist turned patent agent and works for 3M. He started to play the recorder 20 years. He also started the Ensemble group about 20 years ago. This consists of recorder, cello, piano or a combination of these. They play primarily Baroque music. Wright studies with world-renowned recorder professional, Clea Galhans.

The Ensemble will play primarily Bach music on June 11. They play at various locations in the Twin Cities and have done fundraisers at Como Zoo, and played for the Easter Show at the Como Park Conservatory.

Wright loves music and plays the recorder as well as sings. He personally owns over 30 recorders. His love for recorder has grown over the years. In addition, Brad believes in giving back, and is a volunteer in area schools as well as often performs pro bono. He lives in Woodbury.

Tempel has been playing recorder for several years. He is happy to be able to play more since he retired from teaching, and sales and marketing careers. Tempel has hobbies in other areas as well such as cabinetry and woodworking. He lives in Savage.

Kruesmeyer has played recorder for a number of years. Mark is on the math faculty of Carlton College in Northfield. Mark has taught baroque recorder as well as has led various ensemble groups. He lives in Northfield.