Charles Thomas Betz
Charles T. Betz (Charlie or Char to friends) is a composer and lyricist living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Charles studied classical and jazz guitar, brass, music theory, and jazz arranging at the University of Minnesota and the University of North Texas. Has has performed in a wide variety of styles and ensembles (classical, jazz, rock, worship, choral) and as a singer-songwriter.
He was the music director at Lake Harriet Spiritual Community (Minneapolis), 1995-1997, and wrote for the First Universalist Jazz Band.
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He recently completed the full year 2022-2023 Core curriculum at New Musicals, Incorporated. This culminated in the staging of his first musical, a 15-minute work entitled "IQ: The Musical" as part of a full evening program produced in Los Angeles (Replaced! Six Short Musicals About Obsolescence). He is now in the second-year "First Draft" program, working with book writer Peter Welkin on an historical musical, The Womanless Wedding. He also was invited back to the Core program 2023-2024 as a guest composer.
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Current projects include a commissioned choral/orchestral work ("Wild and Precious") to be premiered March 2024 by Crescendo Community Chorus (Minneapolis), and Five Minutes On The Low Road, a musical exploring near-death experience. He is interested in collaborating on spiritual and multiverse-themed musical theater projects and presenting at the Minnesota Fringe.
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Charlie is a member of New Musical Theater Exchange in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Association of Songwriters, and The Playwrights Center. He has studied songwriting, composition, and music production with Diana Grasselli, Andrew Raiher, Peter Mayer, and with the faculty of SongU, and is studying book writing with Elise Dewsberry. He is competent in Dorico and Logic Audio for arranging, part preparation, and production and is trained (to exacting NMI standards!) in the preparation of Broadway-quality integrated script/scores for musical theater.
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