The public is cordially invited to attend a free concert by local favorite The OK Factor on February 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the Carrie Lee Auditorium at 210 Vernon St. This concert is sponsored by Vesterheim Museum and Art School.

Playful and unexpected, this new-classical crossover duo writes and performs folk-inspired music influenced by multiple genres and styles, with an artistry that reveals their classical training. This concert is made possible in part by a generous gift to the Vesterheim Annual Fund by Bob and Mary Lake.

Cellist Olivia Diercks and violinist Karla Colahan find great joy in defying expectations and delivering an experience outside of what audiences anticipate from a cello and violin combo. Their passion for performing and educational outreach has continued to bring them success in communities across the Midwest and abroad, inviting audiences to explore music and cultivate a curiosity about its role in their lives.

This concert is part of a music residency in the Decorah Public Schools organized through Vesterheim and funded by an anonymous grant agency. From February 19-26, Diercks and Colahan will meet with every string instrument player in grades 5-12. They will join elementary music classes and the middle school and high school orchestra rehearsals to provide music instruction and learning fun, and will lead the high school music theory class in a composition and improvisation workshop.

Decorah High School orchestra teacher Nicole Cody remarked, “We are so excited to welcome Olivia and Karla back into our classrooms.  Their fun, engaging personalities, deep musical knowledge, and teaching skill create an environment that allows students to make new music without fear.”  

Diercks and Colohan, both Luther graduates, were last in Decorah for a school residency in 2018, so some of the younger students they worked with previously will meet them again as more advanced musicians.

OK Factor