Title: Adjunct Faculty in Music
Office: Jenson-Noble 121
Phone: 563-387-1562
E-mail: erdaro01@luther.edu
Degree: D.M.A., Peabody Conservatory
Interests: Bass, string methods

Rolf Erdahl has an active career as a recitalist, educator and orchestral musician.  Together with his wife, oboist Carrie Vecchione, he performs recitals and presents educational programs around the country.  They also produce a series of chamber music concerts at the Lakeville Area Arts Center in Lakeville, MN.  In addition to his Luther teaching, Dr. Erdahl is bass faculty at Gustavus Adolphus College and at the Lutheran Summer Music Festival.  He performs as a substitute bassist for the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Minnesota Opera.

The Vecchione/Erdahl Duo has created a varied, virtuosic, and engaging repertoire of oboe/bass duos.  Recognition includes Jerome Commissioning, Encore, and Subito grants from the American Composers Forum, and a recording contract with Centaur Records.  Their debut album, “It Takes Two …” mostly features pieces composed expressly for them.  As Pages of Music with Rolf and Carrie, they present educational programs and are Roster Artists for Young Audiences of Minnesota and The Minnesota State Arts Board, and are Partnering Artists with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s CONNECT Program to the schools and the Duluth-Superior Symphony’s “Music to You” program.

Previously Principal Bass of the Winnipeg Symphony and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Rolf has subbed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and performed with the Breckenridge Music Festival, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Honolulu Symphony, Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester, New World Symphony, Miami Beach Basstet and White Noise Chamber Players.  He also taught bass at the University of Manitoba, Ball State and Wichita State Universities, the Sewanee Music Festival, and the North Carolina Governor’s School.

Dr. Erdahl graduated from St. Olaf College (BA), the University of Minnesota (MM), and the Peabody Conservatory (DMA).  Fulbright and Scandinavian-American Foundation Scholar studies in Norway culminated in his doctoral dissertation on the music of Grieg. Eugene Levinson has been his major teacher.  He has also studied with Peter Lloyd, Bruce Bransby, Paul Ellison, Hal Robinson, and James Clute.

To read more about String Study at Luther, click here.