Artist Bios
Linda Bajan
Soprano
“Hello I’m Linda Bajan. I was born and raised in the upstate of South Carolina. Singing is my life’s passion and I enjoy singing a wide variety of styles. I began singing at a young age, receiving classical-vocal lessons and being admitted to the high school audition concert choir while in middle school. Under the direction of Jane Morlan, I had the opportunity to perform all over the world, performing high school musicals, and place at state-choral competitions. I continued singing with a vocal scholarship at Erskine College under Dr. John Warren and Bill Diekoff in audition choral and chamber groups, as well as finishing with a minor in vocal performance.
I often sing alongside my husband, Ryan, in regional musicals in Ely, choral groups including Arrowhead Chorale, A Touch of Class and now The Sectionals. Our group brings the joy of music to so many in our region, and soon internationally, and I love making music with each member.”
Ryan Bajan
Tenor
“Hi I’m Ryan Bajan. I grew up in Connecticut and South Carolina before moving to Minnesota. I enjoy performing choral, sacred, jazz, pop, and folk music in a variety of arranged settings. At 7 years old I began lessons in school playing the trumpet. This interest continued into high school, performing as a lead in school musicals at Hillcrest High School in Simpsonville, SC, under the direction of Jane Morlan. After learning that I enjoyed singing more than playing trumpet, I pursued a vocal scholarship at Erskine College and performed in the audition large choral, chamber, and men’s acapella groups, as well as achieving a minor in vocal performance under the instruction of Dr. John Warren and Bill Diekoff.
Since college, my wife and I have performed in choral and private settings around the country, including Duluth-based group Arrowhead Chorale and now sing as members of The Sectionals. Singing in The Sectionals is a major aspect of life, we are a family and we love to sing, making music for wherever we go.”
Amanda Gross
Alto
Bio
Holly Gross
Alto
Bio
Jason Hagolin
Bass
Bio
Matt Jarva
Percussionist
“My name is Matt Jarva and I play percussion for The Sectionals. Growing up in Northern Minnesota, I started playing music in middle school and continued on through high school, college, and beyond. During college, I was invited to perform with the top band where they played very challenging music; this was a very rewarding experience, and I learned a tremendous amount from my classmates and conductors. While performing with the Percussion Ensemble, I grew even more in my abilities and knowledge performing pieces with all sorts of instruments and patterns. The world of percussion definitely opened up for me there, as we performed pieces with a huge range of instruments, such as our own hands and bodies, wooden dowels, balloons, music boxes, and even gardening tools.
After college, I became involved with a medieval re-creation group and it was here that I found a passion for Middle Eastern drumming, performing not only for belly dancers, but for ambiance during feasts and ‘fight music’ during our armored combat events.
For the past 20+ years, I have been assisting with instructing our local high school’s drumline during summer marching band. This has been a very rewarding experience not only for giving back to my local community, but also in my belief that if you are good at something, you need to teach it and pass it on to the next generation.
I enjoy performing with The Sectionals because we have equal amounts of fun during and after performances, as well as professionalism during concerts. We definitely bring our best when we perform and we’re not afraid to call out something when we are rehearsing. Keeping each other accountable, but having fun all the while, makes this a great group to accompany; I thoroughly enjoy performing with them and I hope you enjoy listening to us.”
Aaron Kelson
Bass Guitar
“I’ve lived in many places including Minnesota, Quebec, Virginia, Arizona, and California. Locally, Biwabik is where I attended high school. My family has lived in Eveleth since 1999.
I’ve been playing bass guitar for over 25 years, having worked with several bands, vocal groups, and musicals. I love to support every quality musical effort I can across many genres with classical rock being a personal favorite for me. I get a front row seat to the group’s powerful and polished performances. I could never take that for granted. I enjoy working with other instrumentalists as we help The Sectionals bring joy to others through their awesome vocal talents.”
Tom Moe
Bass
Bio
Mark Olson
Tenor
Bio
Chasica Rasmusson
Soprano
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Mandi Spotts
Pianist
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