Stu Janis learned to play the hammered
dulcimer and bowed psaltery during a three-year stay in Wilmington, North
Carolina in the early 1980s. His love of music goes back to his childhood
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he played the piano and flute for many
years.
Shortly after arriving in the Twin Cities in 1984, Stu joined forces with
guitarist Bill Cagley to create Greenwood Tree. They perform music from
the British Isles and American folk songs at weddings, festivals,
coffeeshops, craft fairs, shopping malls, and more. Greenwood Tree has
five recordings, and was nominated for 1995 and 1996 Minnesota Music
Awards in the category of Best Folk or Traditional Band.
Since 1988 Stu has played "Mr. Bottles" in Freshwater Pearls
Puppet Theatre's touring production, Professor Freshwater's Punch and Judy
Show. (It's no coincidence that Professor Freshwater is puppeteer Diane
Rains, Stu’s wife.)
Stu is the first choice for area choirs
when they perform Malcolm Dalglish's unique arrangements for choir and
hammered dulcimer. Stu was also the musician for Vorpal Sword English
Rapper dance group for many years.
Outside the realm of music, Stu works as an industrial statistician, and
his claim to being the best hammered dulcimist in the American Society for
Quality has yet to be challenged.
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