Program
Conversations
Sr. Michaela Hedican and Mary Bruno
Sister Michaela Hedican is a member of Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn. Her academic background includes an advanced degree in religious education and monastic studies. Her work biography ranges from teaching middle school and high school science and religion to spiritual direction to a variety of administrative roles. She has served as prioress of two different monasteries (Saint Benedict’s Monastery and Saint Bede Monastery in Eau Claire, Wis.), as president of the Monastic Congregation of Saint Benedict, formerly known as the Federation of Saint Benedict, and as director of oblates and director of mission advancement for Saint Benedict’s Monastery. She currently serves as assistant dean at Saint Scholastica Convent, the sister’s health care facility in St. Cloud, Minn. She has been a professed Benedictine for over 60 years but wonders if she wasn’t born a Benedictine.
Mary C. Bruno is a letterpress printer, artist, and storyteller dedicated to preserving and evolving the craft of traditional printmaking. Working on 100-year-old presses, she creates hand-printed works that bridge history, community, and contemporary expression.
As the driving force behind Bruno Press, Bruno has spent years cultivating a deep connection to both the art of letterpress and the power of print to engage, educate, and bring people together.
In 2020, Mary was commissioned to create The Scroll, a 30-foot letterpress-printed piece featuring the Rule of Saint Benedict, imagery of the Benedictine Sisters, and the natural landscape of Central Minnesota. The project became a testament to craftsmanship, faith, and storytelling, capturing the attention of audiences wherever it has been displayed.
With a mission to make art approachable and meaningful, Mary is excited to bring The Scroll to TEDxStCloud and The Paramount Arts Center, further connecting people to the legacy of letterpress, monastic tradition, and the universal themes of community and belonging.
Artist Reception
Join us for a Scroll Exhibit Artist's Reception:
- Date: Thursday, October 2nd
- Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
- Location: Paramount
- Admission: Open to the Public, No Charge
Performances
George Maurer
Minneapolis-based pianist George Maurer is well-known for his work as a performer, arranger, music director and jazz composer–talents that have taken him all over the world. He’s performed with Eric Clapton, shared the stage with Bruno Mars, and served assymphonic music-director of the Midtown Men, featuring members of Broadway’s original Grammy-awarded and Tony-winning“Jersey Boys” cast. His arrangements have been debuted and performed by symphonies across the U.S.—the Minnesota Orchestra, Boston Pops and the National Symphony. His works have been recognized by a number of awards and appointments, including two McKnight Composer Fellowships (2014, 2021) and he has been called upon to compose and arrange music for film, theater and ballet.
George’s expeditions have helped him launch his first podcast, "Tales from a Bicycle Seat", which explores artists and issues he’s encountered on the road. His next project: “Unfrozen”, with librettist Anne Bertram, exemplifies this approach; utilizing the writings of the great explorers of polar regions, and using their words to create music-theater that sparks discussion about climate change in communities of all sizes.“Unfrozen” is inspired in part by a recent bike adventure to the Chilean Antarctic region.
Being on both a bicycle seat and at a piano bench has afforded George access to many people who have influenced his life and work as a composer
Jeff Engholm
Jeff Engholm has worn many hats as a bassist, singer, songwriter, actor, producer, recording engineer, conductor, and teacher. Instrumentally, he is primarily a jazz and rock bass player, and has played for 20 years in the George Maurer Jazz Group, which performs throughout the Midwest, including at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis.
As a vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist Jeffperforms in “Takin’ It to the Limit”, an Eagles tribute show, “Floydian Slip”, a Pink Floyd tribute, “Rumours and Dreams”, a Fleetwood Mactribute, “What’s Going On?” a tribute to the music of the Vietnam era, and “Wings Over America”, a tribute to Paul McCartney and Wings. His own band, the Collective Unconscious, is a conglomeration of four studio albums of original music and large productions performing classic albums in their entirety, including the Beatles’ Abbey Road, the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Band’s The Last Waltz, and CSNY’s Déjà vu.
He is a recording engineer and consultant at Rockhouse Studios in St. Joseph, working with and for the late 60’s pop sensation Bobby Vee and his sons, and has produced and engineered a multitude of projects in every genre, including his own recent releases, including the “Little Big Things” album from 2021, and a series of singles that will be continue to be released every six to eight weeks for the next several months
