Nick Gaudette

Renegade bassist and musical maverick, Nick Gaudette is a low-end string slinging legend who seamlessly weaves conservatory-trained precision with unbridled creative chaos.

With degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and the University of Minnesota Mankato, Nick co-directs the advanced string orchestras at Edina High School while keeping his own artistic fire burning bright.

Before teaching full-time, Nick was a staple of the Twin Cities music scene on upright bass—jazz clubs, rock venues, folk circles, tango nights, recording sessions. His genre-hopping resume includes everything from rock to Bach, pit orchestras to postmodern experiments and has performed across many established venues like Chanhassen Dinner Theater, The Children's Theater, and the Walker Arts Center. Currently, he performs with the genre-bending Orange Mighty Trio, Tamarack Stylites, Toni Wolf's Dream Wedding, and The Lake Minnetonka String Quintet.

Where Nick truly breaks the mold is in his collaborations with modern dance, particularly with choreographer and life partner Maggie Bergeron. Together, they co-created the Hear, Here! Live Music and Movement Festival, pairing composers with choreographers for new interdisciplinary premieres. His bass becomes both narrative instrument and kinetic prop within the context of movement and soundscapes.

Recognition includes: Minnesota State Arts Board recipient, Grammy Music Educator Quarter Finalist, Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalist, MMEA Wall of Honor inductee, and EdFund grant recipient. With four studio albums and countless film and commercial placements, Nick proves artistic integrity drives success across multiple genres.

When not attempting to revolutionize music education or push artistic boundaries, Nick lives in South Minneapolis with Maggie, children Gus and Lola, and their dog Fawkes—always ready to recharge in nature's symphony.

“Edina is a great community to thrive artistically. The students are so eager to learn, and their ability is top notch. I look forward every year to the performance opportunities that we collectively share. I believe that being an educator (in music) is a great way that I can stay true to my craft as an artist. I have to be honest in the classroom with open ears, listening to their stories and their interests. I feel lucky everyday because I get to perform with this amazing group multiple times a year. They (the orch students of EHS) give me hope for the future of the arts!!!”

Jack Reynertson

Jack began his performance career at the age of one when he first heard “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and started singing this tune to himself while out for a ride in his stroller. 

His true love of music emerged when he decided to become a music teacher and attended St. Olaf College from 2016-2020, performing as a percussionist with the St. Olaf Band and St. Olaf Orchestra and participating on eight performance tours. 

For the 2020-2021 school year, Jack taught 5th, 6th, and high school orchestra in Burlington Wisconsin where he provided individual, small group, and large ensemble instruction. As a Wisconsin teacher, Jack studied CMP (comprehensive musicianship through performance), a teaching model which continues to inform his passionate advocacy for education that serves the entire person.  

As a conductor, Jack has led public school, collegiate, and professional ensembles in rehearsal and performance. Jack founded the Interlude Chamber Orchestra, a summer ensemble for students in his hometown, which he led as music director for two summers during his Undergraduate studies. He premiered a new work by Andrew Boysen Jr. with the St. Olaf Band and led St. Olaf Orchestra members in a performance of Stravinsky’s dazzling Danses Concertantes. Most recently, Jack studied as a conducting fellow with the Boise Baroque Orchestra, where he performed on two digital concerts. 

Jack has a deep, abiding love for teaching music and working with young people. His greatest passion in life is helping people grow into the best people they can be and he is excited to have the opportunity to teach at Edina High School. In his free time, Jack likes to read all kinds of books, is an avid consumer of animated tv shows, and enjoys going for long walks in nature with his friends and family. He continues to enjoy practicing and performing music as a violist, percussionist, and amateur piano player. As his family and friends will tell you, he still sings to himself every day.