Life doesn’t come with a roadmap, but it does come with a soundtrack. In Growing Up: Songs for Every Age and Stage, three musicians explore the way music follows the ups, downs, and unexpected detours of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood—tracing how each stage leaves its mark on who we become.
Fresh from graduating UND and preparing for graduate studies in collaborative piano, Sydney Crockett brings a deep commitment to the art of musical partnership and the vitality of a new chapter in her career. Michael Danielson, a seasoned musician whose path spans rock bands, church ensembles, and community choirs, draws on decades of performance to shape a rich and versatile guitar voice. Justin Montigne, an accomplished singer and UND voice professor with an international performance record, blends technical mastery with a spirit of artistic exploration. Together, they unite their distinct experiences in a program grounded in craft, curiosity, and the joy of shared music-making.
Expect a mix of show tunes, reimagined art songs, and pop, rock, and country covers—plus humor, storytelling, and moments that invite you to think about the songs that shaped your life.
Justin Montigne, singer and voice teacher, combines performance expertise with pedagogical insight. He holds degrees from Drake University and the University of Minnesota, and his career bridges performance, education, and ensemble leadership.
Dr. Montigne's performance focus is early music, art song, consort singing, and contemporary works. He toured and recorded with the Grammy Award-winning ensemble Chanticleer, and as a founding member of Clerestory developed over forty concert programs across fifteen seasons. Dr. Montigne continues to produce diverse performances for students at UND and in virtual spaces.
Married for 26½ years, Michael Danielson is a proud spouse and parent to three children, ages 22, 20, and 16. A lifelong servant-leader, he currently directs the Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Dakotas, helping veterans launch and grow successful businesses. From 2001 to 2007, Michael served as an Air Force Logistics Officer, later continuing government employment as Transportation Officer at Grand Forks Air Force Base from 2009 to 2023.
Music has been a constant thread in Michael’s life. Beginning in 1994 as a bass guitarist in a high school rock and roll band who performed across the Midwest. Expanding to guitar in 1996, he played with church organizations for over two decades. Today, Michael sings with Hawks in Harmony, a University of North Dakota choir uniting the community through music.
Most recently, Michael can also be found accompanying University of North Dakota students and faculty at various performances.
Sydney Crockett is a recent graduate from the University of North Dakota where she earned her bachelor’s degree in piano performance. Sydney grew up in Langdon, ND, where she first started to fall in love with piano when she started lessons at the age of 7 with her first teacher, Lisa Schuler. During the high school years, she traveled to Grand Forks quite often for lessons with Dr. Nariaki Sugiura, and continued to learn from him for three years of her undergraduate degree. Most recently, she has been working with Dr. Ling Lo as she prepares for a musical career in the collaborative piano field.
Sydney first fell in love with collaborative piano in high school, when she was given the opportunity to play for a few instrumentalists at regional contests, and occasionally accompanying the choir for concerts. That love for collaboration grew when she came to UND and experienced chamber music with piano trios, piano duos, more experience with vocalists and instrumentalists, and working with choirs. Sydney plans to work toward her master’s degree in collaborative piano in the next couple of years. On top of collaborating, Sydney also enjoys teaching piano to the next generation of amazing musicians.