Apple Valley Music Duo Gets $17K State Arts Grant

Pages of Music with Rolf and Carrie, an Apple Valley-based music education program, has received a grant of nearly $17,000 to perform recitals and teach about music across the state.

The Minnesota State Arts Board awards grants to many Minnesota artists and arts organizations each year.

Pages of Music is the work of husband and wife duo Rolf Erdahl, who plays double bass, and Carrie Vecchione, who plays oboe, according to their website.

The children's educational program is a combination of music and children's literature, and includes instrument demonstrations and introduction of music concepts along with reading.

Erdahl and Vecchione have partnered with several state and regional youth music organizations; they'll will use the grant to give their program at 33 sites in Minnesota.

Aside from introducing kids to the ideas in music, the duo also has performed together since 1999, specializing in new music for their oboe/double bass combination.

Erdahl is a substitute with the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Opera, according to the duo's website; he teaches bass at Luther College and Gustavus Adolphus College.

Vecchione teaches at the MacPhail Center for Music, subs with the Minnesota Orchestra and is principal oboe with the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra.