Staff photo by Fritz Busch New Ulm High School Choral Director Daniel Olson plays piano at the New Ulm Arts Boosters Summer Showcase Fundraiser at the State Street Theater Thursday. The Ulmer Quartet and friends also performed.

NEW ULM — New Ulm Arts Boosters Summer Showcase attendees heard piano music, a jazz and classic rock quartet and friends and games at the State Street Theater Thursday.

New Ulm High School Choral Director Daniel Olson opened the night on piano. He performed several dozen tunes including Celebrate Me Home, a soft rock tune by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins.

“As long as they need me to play, I’ll keep playing,” he said.

“My dad Jerry Olson taught me to play piano when I was in second grade. It’s a family tradition. My grandfather taught my dad to play,” Olson said.

He played in bands and choirs in high school and college before taking the music education choral track.

After college graduation, Olson taught at the Crosby-Ironton School District for eight years before moving back to south central Minnesota.

“Several years ago with a little girl, we decided to move back home home to be near family. I took a (vocal music) position at New Ulm School,” he added.

Olson said he enjoys country and old-time music but that his heart is with choral music.

At Gustavus, he created the Vintage Prairie Dirt Band with a group of friends.

Some of his favorite musical groups are Trampled By Turtles, bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Becky Buller of St. James who now lives and performs in Nashville and county music singer-songwriter Zach Top.

“We rehearsed once a week. We performed mostly on campus and in St. Peter until we disbursed after graduation,” Olson said.

Olson said he enjoys hunting deer the most but dabbled with pheasant and duck hunting around his father-in-law’s agricultural property in rural Hanska.

A Madelia native, Olson, his wife Emily and their daughter Adelaid, 3, live in St. Peter where he is the organist at Union Presbyterian Church.

He has other interests too.

“I like being outside and working outside too, so working summers as a security ranger fits the bill at Minneopa State Park near Mankato,” said Olson.

“I love being in New Ulm. This feels like home. I’m really looking forward to building a program here that we can all be proud of,” he added.

An emerging New Ulm band, the Ulmer Quartet plays a mix of jazz, class rock and more.

Mitchell Schotzko leads the band playing tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone. Joey Kotten plays drums and sings. Ryan Johnson plays piano, also sax and clarinet. Britton Beran holds down the low section.

The Summer Showcase Fundraiser was presented by the New Ulm Fine Arts Boosters. Proceeds benefit the high school band, choir, drama, Knowledge Bowl and robotics programs. Email NUFineArtsBoosters@gmail.com. Donations can be mailed to PO Box 342, New Ulm, Mn 56073.