News

Anna Miller 

Alto 1

How long have you been in the choir?

This is my first year

What’s your favorite PFLC song? 

“Freedom” because it has a fun gospel feel, “Hive” and “Porchlight” because I love haunting dissonance, “All My Little Words” because it makes me feel warm inside.

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

Being a part of a community full of so many multi-talented women.

What do you like to do outside of choir?

I’m a visual artist. I paint, draw and dabble in graphic design. I like to work on my blog Sketchy Attire, a fashion blog where I draw my outfit and comment on it. I love being outdoors and hanging out with my dog. I also sing in the band Herschel and the Detainees.

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians? 

Alex Rossi, Heatbox, Maxaphone, Elliott Blaufuss, Jeremy Messersmith, Caroline Smith, Nicholas David, Debra G, Apollo Cobra, Is Prince still considered local?

What’s your go-to karaoke song? 

It changes with the times. Currently it’s “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston.
Anything by Heart or Journey will usually do.

Describe yourself in three words

Pensive, Humorous, Colorful

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Scarlett Johansson or Lauren Bacall

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A creator of beautiful things.

Photo by Chris McDuffie

Brooke Nelson 

Tenor 1

How long have you been in the choir?

One year (and one off, so I’m kind of new)

What’s your favorite PFLC song? 

Violet!  or  We Belong!  or  All My Little Words!

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

Diverse ladies singing gorgeous music together!

What do you like to do outside of choir?

Trivia, theatre, hang out with my cat (Nike)

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians? 

Jeremy Messersmith, The Owls

What’s your go-to karaoke song? 

I’ve never done karaoke. It’s a testament to these ladies that they let me join anyway.

Describe yourself in three words

Happy, Bright, Loyal

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Ellen Degeneres

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Taller…but aside from that, I’d like to work for Disney

Photo courtesy of Angela Aird

Karen Townsend

Alto 2

How long have you been in the choir?

This is my 2nd season

What’s your favorite PFLC song?

It changes depending on my mood. I really enjoy singing the songs that were written by choir members.

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

It keeps me singing, musical, and connected to community.

What do you like to do outside of choir?

I love being on the beach and on the water, spending time with my husband and daughter, working at my massage practice, writing music and playing my accordion.

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians?

Venus DeMars, Crystal Myslajek, Jayanthi Kyle, and Patrick Harison are a few who come to mind. There are so many and I’m always hearing new inspiring sounds from our local musicians.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler

Describe yourself in three words

Silly, sensitive, serious

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

You mean I can just pick anyone? Serena Williams or Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be an active participant in ending injustice and white supremacy. I want to continue working on healing trauma and disconnection from our bodies, our planet, and each other. I want to inspire people to love living and moving in their body to whatever degree they are able. I want to promote authentic connection/communication with each other and life giving forces. I want to be a co-creator with my fellow humans of paradise on earth…So whatever that makes me is what I want to be when I grow up.

Molly Smith

Alto 1

How long have you been in the choir?

I started at the beginning of the 2015 season. So I’m a newbie (relatively)!

What’s your favorite PFLC song?

Oh my goodness, that’s a tough question! I really enjoy all of the songs! But I’d have to say that “Aeroplane Over The Sea” and “Can’t Hardly Wait” are up there. I’m a sucker for the original versions of those songs, so it’s amazing to hear the choir do their own interpretation of them.

Also, singing any original song from a choir member always tugs at my heartstrings.

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

I love the ladies! Everyone is so talented and passionate and fun and hardworking! I love getting to know them all as the brilliant individuals they are, musically and otherwise.

I also love the snacks. The way to the heart of a Minnesotan woman is through her stomach!

What do you like to do outside of choir?

I love to bake, take long bike rides around the lakes, train in roller derby with the MN Rollergirls, make random playlists on Spotify, snowshoe, eat pizza, sing in my car, giggle with my baby nephew Finn, binge watch “Doctor Who” and “Parks and Recreation”, and travel with my fiancé.

Things I don’t like to do outside of choir – run, clean the shower, or talk on the phone. Blech.

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians?

I love Doomtree (and all of its individual members), Astronautalis, Lizzo, Bloodnstuff, The 4onthefloor, The Bad Plus, Jose James, GRRRL PRTY, Now, Now, Polica, and PRAIRIE FIRE LADY CHOIR!

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

“My Sharona” by The Knack or “Give It Away” by RHCP.

Describe yourself in three words

Animated, thoughtful, and observant.

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you?

Wouldn’t it be nice to think that someone like Emma Watson or Zooey Deschanel would play us in a movie? But in reality, I’d probably end up with a Lifetime original movie about me, starring Tori Spelling wearing a really awful short wig.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A professional mountain unicyclist. Or an artist manager.

Christina Perfetti  

 Alto 1

How long have you been in the choir?

3 seasons

What’s your favorite PFLC song? 

All My Little Words

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

The everlasting network and relationships that spring from our time and investment in each other

What do you like to do outside of choir?

visit friends in other cities, farm, admire pointy mammals

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians? 

AIR DUX

What’s your go-to karaoke song? 

Anything Frank Sinatra

Describe yourself in three words

 presence, activator, depth-seeker

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you?

Linda Cardellini (of Freaks & Geeks fame)

What do you want to be when you grow up?

influential and responsible

Photo courtesy of Angela Aird

Stacy Salmi

Soprano 2

How long have you been in the choir?

This is my 3rd year, I think.

What’s your favorite PFLC song?

Hive, with Violet as a close second. Wait, maybe Hot Knife….

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

Singing with all of you. The power of all the women in our group coming together to make so much beauty is intoxicating.

What do you like to do outside of choir?

I am a potter and a stay at home Mom and that takes up a lot of my time. I also like to cook, knit, see live music and spend lots of time with my friends.

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians?

I am sadly somewhat unschooled about local bands. I go see bands with people who know local music and that usually goes well.

I love Dessa, Chastity Brown, Roe Family Singers, Matt Latterel, lots more I can’t think of.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Blue Bayou

Describe yourself in three words

Loving, impulsive, strong

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you?

Melissa McCarthy

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A potter who makes a living selling pottery and who sings in the PFLC.

Photo courtesy of Angela Aird

Heidi VanDixhorn Nesser

Alto 1

How long have you been in the choir?

Since the beginning

What’s your favorite PFLC song?

Too many to choose from. No one favorite.

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

The magic that happens

What do you like to do outside of choir?

Read books, take long walks or short runs, travel, watch T.V. series/movies.

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians?

Prince, Dessa, Brother Ali, Low

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Route 66

Describe yourself in three words:

Complex, Curious, Pessimistic

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you?

Kristen Wiig

What do you want to be when you grow up?

An all around good person – only got parts of that worked out so far

Janet Malotky

Tenor 1

How long have you been in the choir?

This is my second year

What’s your favorite PFLC song?

Madeleine Mary

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

Making music every week with a passel of amazing women

What do you like to do outside of choir?

Garden, write poetry, read, canoe, make stuff

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians?

Cantus

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I had to sing alone in front of people once and nearly wet my pants, so I don’t do that by choice.

Describe yourself in three words

I’m torn between “I am tall” and “funny, private, sensitive”

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you?

I have no idea

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I’m already pretty grown up but I want to be a force for joy.

Photo courtesy of Angela Aird

Anna Raudenbush

Alto 2

How long have you been in the choir?

4 years?

What’s your favorite PFLC song?

Porchlight

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

1) Feeling like a part of something with others

2) Breathing at the same time with our hearts

What do you like to do outside of choir?

I like to do social worky things and road trip in Minnesota through prairies – I’m just now discovering them.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I’ve never done karaoke before!

Describe yourself in three words

Thoughtful Integrity Whackadoodle

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you?

Mae West

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A show boat captain who does therapy up and down the Mississippi.

Photo courtesy of Angela Aird

Laura Lindsay

Alto I

How long have you been in the choir?

This is my second year.

What’s your favorite PFLC song?

Freedom – it’s so fun to sing and the audience can tell we’re having a blast.

What’s your favorite thing about being in this choir?

Being back into making music again in a community of lovely ladies!

What do you like to do outside of choir?

Bike, run, read, go to concerts, hang with my honey, drink Minnesota beer and black tea, jump in lakes, and do crossword puzzles.

Who are your favorite local bands/musicians?

Pert Near Sandstone, Trampled by Turtles, I’ve been getting into Hippo Campus, and DJ Fancy Restaurant, who knows just how much Robyn is enough Robyn (never enough)

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I haven’t sung karaoke in years, but if Man in the Mirror ever comes on at a bar, I can get down. It’s a family tradition.

Describe yourself in three words

Pensive, excitable, curious

If there was a movie about your life, who would play you?

God, I hope Winona Ryder.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Master Cheesemaker

Photo courtesy of Angela Aird