Who is ContraBand?

Cartoon of a Violin Our pianist Trudi Clark-Cochrane has taught elementary school music in Idaho for fourteen years. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Boise State University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Northwest Nazarene University.

Fiddler and arranger John Cochrane has taught public school orchestra in Idaho for more than twenty-five years. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Middlebury College in Vermont, a Master’s Degree in Music from Boise State University, and a Professional Artist’s Diploma from the Westchester Conservatory of Music in White Plains, New York. John plays viola in the Boise Philharmonic and is a founding member of Mariachi Sol de Acapulco.

Cartoon of a Flute Donna Cowan is our utility musician, playing percussion, tin whistles, and clarinet. She has taught general elementary music in the public schools for over twenty years. Donna is a world music enthusiast and an active contra-dancer.

Joe Wax plays the electronic drums. Joe is an electrical engineer who teaches high school pre-engineering. Joe was born and raised in North Dakota, and has been involved as a church musician since 1980.
Cartoon of a Manager Our second fiddle player is Bailey Burns. Bailey attends college and is majoring in music education. She also plays cello, violin, piano and marimba, and has been an Irish Dancer.

Our guitarist, Joe Baldassarre, has been teaching full time at Boise State University since 1975. Joe has a Bachelor's in Music Education from Baldwin-Wallace College, a Master's degree from Kent State University, and a doctorate from Case Western Reserve University / Cleveland Institute of Music. He plays classical, historical, and pop styles of guitar.