SOLI Hughes is a world class ensemble and concert guitarist who has performed many musical styles and genres throughout his career. He played in the Umbria & Espoo World Jazz Festivals in Espoo, Finland & Perugia, Italy with Moore By Four. He performed in Tokyo, Nagasaki, Osaka, Yamagata, and Hamagata, Japan with the Sounds of Blackness. He played solo Classical Jazz throughout various venues & castles in Spain. And he was the original guitarist for HAZE who opened for The Jackson Five at Orchestra Hall.
Vast experience in multiple areas of the music industry include; performances as the guitarist for the 60’s musical show Beehive & the Nat King Cole Show trio at Hey City Theatre in Minneapolis, the guitarist for the House of Cards Opera at Moorhead University, and the guitarist for “Incoming” written for guitar & orchestra with the Moorhead State Wind Ensemble at the Minnesota Music Teachers Convention in Minneapolis. SOLI was also the creator and musical director of SOLIENTE, a Brazilian Trio & The SOLI HUGHES Project, a Jazz quintet a Brazilian Trio & Jazz quintet who performed at various Minneapolis venues.
SOLI has spent many years writing, arranging, recording, and producing music. Credits include multi-language vocalist Karen Lyu’s Global Jazz CD, “Heart Of Ambition” music video for Quinten Bianchi, and music director/creator of The Complete World Of Music summer music apprentice program for ages 14-21 which ran for four years and produced five apprentices that are now professionals in the music industry. SOLI contributed music to various CD projects including: Time for Healing by the Sounds of Blackness, The Temple by Jimmi Langemo, and Anything Can Happen by Dallas Johnson. Recently, an MP3 was produced for each student during The Science Of Sound residency at Concordia University in St. Paul.
Not limited to performance and production, music education continues to be a significant part of SOLI’S life. A residence artist with over 30 years experience in Minnesota schools, he has created and taught The Science of Sound, The Evolution of Music, The Digital Rock Clock & Histo-Pop, and The Art of Music Production to thousands of students. The excitement, enhanced knowledge, and technical information provides a forum where students can use their own individual creativity to push the art forms further while learning about the inside workings of the art form from a pro who knows it, has experienced it, and and has helped create it.
Educational Presenter & Clinician
Not limited to just the classroom, SOLI has developed & headed many educational clinics & presentations including:
- Master Of Ceremonies for the 8th & 9th Honors Concerts at the Ordway in St. Paul, MN
- Facilitated professional development training for K-8 music teachers for the Minneapolis School District
- Taught lyric writing at the 4TH Write Conference at the University of MN
- Wrote an accredited college level music course entitled Contemporary Guitar for Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
- Published author of 50 Years of American Pop Music: its Trends & Lifestyles for The St. Paul Pioneer Press
- Served as past vice president & president of Compas
- Music/Video Curator for the MN Music Academy
- Former vice president, music education chair, and video archivist for the Minnesota Music Academy
- Former Member Of The Ordway Cultural Arts Advisory Board
- MMEA Music Festival Concert in Worthington, MN
- MMEA In–Service Clinic at Moorhead State University
- MMEA Music Festival Concert in Worthington, MN
- Contributed music for the animated Disney film John Henry
- Awarded two Gold Records for his work on the albums Evolution of Gospel & Africa to America.
- Inducted into the Mid–America Music Hall of Fame for dedication and service to the music, recording, and entertainment industry as the guitarist in the music group HAZE
- Rural Arts Conference
Immerse your students in the world of iconic history, songs & technology with an artist who has made music his life – and who has lived through the decades to tell and play the story.
If you want to learn, experience, and create it, SOLI is your guy!
Program Offerings
All of SOLI’S programs are best for middle and high school students. Due to cartage and use of specific music equipment, his programs need to be offered in the same classroom over the course of his residency.
Residency
The Evolution Of Music Past, Present, and Beyond
Learn inside details about history changing events & inventions that have shaped music. How did some songs and groups get their names, how some artists have lasted over 20 years and others were only “one hit wonders.” Get a chance to hear, and play & sing some essentials of the music industry history. Where has music been, where is it going, and what may be your part in shaping it? Discuss this all with SOLI Hughes, who has lived through it, performed through the changes and has been a part of the Evolution music. (1-2 week residency)
The Science of Sound Laboratory
Students will gain an understanding of how sound works, from a technical and musical instrument perspective. The effects of frequency, wave form, hertz, oscillation, and physical space will be explored. Students will connect these effects through physical, acoustical, geometric, mathematical equations and experiments and the use of a recording mixing board to work with EQ. In addition, by working in groups, using everyday items, musical instruments and electronic/digital synthesizers, students will get to create their own music. Great to pair with science or math classes. (2 week residency)
The Art Of Music Production
Students will learn what else is needed when producing a song as a lot goes into a song more than the vocals and instrumentation. Students will explore lessons on recording and song selection, mixing tracks and editing, performance and marketing, and more. Current aspects of the music business and industry career types will be discussed and tried out. This residency has a student centered approach. Each student will leave with a completed project based on what part of the industry they wanted to explore. Soli brings in a mixer to experiment with students. (2-3 week residency)
Beatlemania & the British Invasion
This residency introduces the Sixties to our current young generation. Beatlemania and the British invasion is a great example of how pop culture affected everyday life in America. It influenced fashion, politics, gender relationships and more. While learning about the worldwide and direct effect in the US of this event, students in this residency will also learn and perform some of the Beatles & British groups songs at a culminating community show. Great for social studies and history classes. (1-2 week residency)
Multicultural Footprints
This residency emphasizes the roles of innovators across many different cultural groups. We’ll explore their relationships with other cultures; their STEM and musical contributions to America; and links to other cultures that have benefited from the ground-breaking work they have laid. This offering can be customized to Soli presenting on a specific cultural group. (2 week residency)
The Digital Rock Clock & HistoPop
Throughout this performance-focused residency, the classroom is transformed into various decades allowing students to “walk through history” with musical-visual cues. Rotary phones, yo-yo’s, platform shoes, vinyl albums, 45 rpm records and more are brought right into the classroom setting to catalyze conversation and bring the past to life. Students participate in such activities as singing, dancing, debate, and playing musical instruments as they learn to create (or re-create) the sounds and cultures of each time. The residency is designed to culminate with a live rock show featuring students performing various songs and dances in clothes from the decades. A great addition to history and social studies classes. (2 week residency)
Performance
Rockin’ Through the Decades
Kick up your heels, raise your hands, come dressed in your favorite decade, and shout it out! Students and staff experience a movin’, shakin’ live rock ‘n’ roll show with an artist who knows the songs, dances, and the history; because he has lived it and played it. For large settings or auditorium, not classrooms. (1 hour, 15 minutes)
“He’s a walking, talking one–man music machine.”
Lin Smithwick, Staff Writer Detroit Lakes Tribune
