Jenanne Solberg

Jenanne Solberg works in the NVMS Artists in Schools program and founded Camp Festival Amadeus. She is a graduate of the University of Montana (B.M. ’76, M.M. ’78 in Piano Performance) with continued studies and endorsements in string pedagogy, choral conducting and music education. She has served as Principal Viola with the Casper, Billings and Bozeman Symphonies and is currently Principal Viola with the Glacier Symphony. Her performance experience also includes many years with the Missoula, Great Falls and Helena Symphonies, as well as the String Orchestra of the Rockies and the Yellowstone Chamber Players. During her 23 years in Billings, MT, Ms. Solberg maintained a private piano and violin/viola studio of over 50 students, served as music director and organist for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and was a founding member and director of the Montana Music Institute. She established the orchestra program in the Billings Catholic Schools where she taught for 13 years, also directing the band and choir programs during that time. In 2002, Ms. Solberg was offered a position in the Whitefish School District teaching middle school choir and 5th and 6th grade general music classes, and began instruction at the North Valley Music School. The arts environment in the community and the school district was rich with support; Ms. Solberg saw an opportunity, seized on it, and began an orchestra program in the middle school with a grant from the Whitefish Credit Union for the purchase of 30 violins. The rest, as they say (hopefully!) is history! The orchestra program blossomed, moving into the high school in 2004, and students have gone on to study, teach and share their music in college and beyond. 

Ms. Solberg was recognized by Yale University as one of 50 Distinguished Music Educators in the United States, and in 2021 was recognized by the National Federation of High Schools as Montana’s Outstanding Music Educator. Her commissioned compositions for chamber ensembles, solo piano, and elementary school orchestras have been performed nationwide – with more to come! 

Ms. Solberg serves now as organist at All Saints Episcopal Church and is the founder of and Artistic Director of Camp Festival Amadeus, and performs still with the Glacier Symphony – all while happily retired. Two sons and their families, two grandchildren and two parents are all nearby…and life is very good indeed!