Eric Stokes Song Contest Winner Elaine Klaassen

Elaine Klaassen, a Hillsboro, Kansas native who currently lives in Minneapolis, was recently named a winner of Zeitgeist’s 19th annual Eric Stokes Song Contest. 

Elaine is originally from Hillsboro, Kansas and currently lives in Minneapolis, where she is a piano teacher and newspaper journalist. She has written experimental music for dance, theater and performance art events in addition to traditional music for churches and community theater productions.

Elaine’s winning piece, Beat No More, is a structured improvisation. “Beat No More is kind of like a parlor game for really creative musicians,” she said. “Zeitgeist is the perfect group to make such a piece work.”

The Eric Stokes Song Contest is sponsored by new music group Zeitgeist in memory of late composer Eric Stokes; the contest was designed to encourage and celebrate amateur composers throughout the Twin Cities. The winning composers have the opportunity to participate in Zeitgeist’s annual Playing it Close to Home concerts; in addition, they receive a $100 prize and a one-year membership to the American Composers Forum.

“The judges loved Elaine’s work, and we’re delighted to feature terrific local talent,” said Heather Barringer, artistic co-director and percussionist for Zeitgeist. “We always look forward to sharing the best of local music in our Playing it Close to Home concerts.”


Playing it Close to Home

Feb. 21-22, 7:30 p.m., 
Studio Z: 275 E. 4th St., Suite 200, St. Paul

Feb. 23, 2 p.m., 
Roseville High School: 1240 County Road B-2 West, Roseville

With winning songs from our Eric Stokes Song Contest plus music by local composers Nathan Hanson and Viv Corringham, Zeitgeist’s annual Playing it Close to Home concert celebrates the wealth of musical creativity found right here in our own backyard.

Playing it Close to Home and Zeitgeist's Eric Stokes Song Contest is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.