MAJOR CHORDS FOR MINORS
Saginaw's Soudtrack Starts Here
Since 2011, Major Chords for Minors has been part of the heartbeat of Saginaw MI,
solidifying itself as a place where music transforms lives.
Founded to give kids the joy, confidence, and creativity of making music, we’ve served over1,700 young musicians and reached thousands through performances and community events.
Nearly 15 years later, our passion is still growing and the stage is set for an even brighter future.
Our original mission remains simple; to provide free music instruction, mentorship
and performance opportunities to kids grade 3-12, no matter their family’s income or background.
We believe in ACCESS, COMMUNITY, MENTORSHIP, INCLUSIVITY and CREATIVITY,
values that guide every lesson, rehearsal and concert.
Whether in one-on-one instruction, group collabs or our spirited band performances,
students learn not only how to play music but how to listen, lead and belong.
To strengthen and sustain this mission, we’re now expanding our programs to include affordable paid lessons - open to all ages and skill levels. This new offering helps keep our mission thriving while welcoming even more people to be part of Saginaw’s vibrant music and arts community.
Through programs that blend skill-building with self-expression,
we keep the music going and the arts community vibrant.
From our rehearsal rooms to local stages, we invite everyone to Join the Band and Fund the Future. Together, we can ensure that the rhythm of learning, creating and sharing music
keeps moving forward for generations to come.
MEET THE INSTRUCTORS
LOREN KRANZ has been an instructor with Major Chords for Minors for over ten years, teaching drums, piano and guitar. Music has been a driving force in his life since joining the percussion section in junior high band class. After high school, he pursued a music degree, majoring in Jazz Studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, while also developing a penchant for songwriting and performing outside of academia. A number of sideman gigs with various artists took him around the country, eventually performing in 46 states and Canada! When Loren returned home to the Saginaw area, he formed his own band, Barbarossa Brothers, and now maintains a busy schedule performing all over the state. A native of Freeland MI, he lives there now with his wife and their adorable Sun Conure, Ricky Skaggs.
BRADLEY DONLEY has been an instructor with Major Chords for Minors since 2016, teaching drums and guitar, and running the performance ensemble program. Brad grew up around several musicians in his family and developed a passion for jazz music in his high school’s steel drum band. After high school, Brad became a luthier (building and repairing stringed instruments) and attended Mott Community College and University of Michigan Flint to study Jazz Composition. He played as a studio musician on several albums and worked as a music instructor in Flint and Grand Blanc before moving to Saginaw in 2015. Brad is happy to continue his work at a music instructor and enjoys seeing the next generation of musicians developing at Major Chords for Minors.
HILLARY HUEBLER graduated from the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy in 2009 with an emphasis in voice and keyboard. She is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music with a BA in vocal performance. She has been active in the Saginaw arts community, participating in shows with Pit and Balcony Theatre (such as the Wizard of Oz), Muzyka! (a local folk/gospel/bluegrass group), and soloed with the Saginaw Choral Society, Saginaw Eddy Band, Bijou Orchestra, and the Saginaw Bay Symphony. Her senior year of high school she performed a play with the Detroit Theatre for Dramatic Arts at the Kennedy Center during Inauguration week. Besides vocal music, Hillary has studied piano, organ, voice, choral conducting and composition, and also plays fiddle, ukulele, flute, penny whistles, mandolin, harp, trumpet, and is versed in a variety of music styles. Her compositions have won several awards. Hillary is currently the music minister at First Congregational Church and is a part-time instructor at Major Chords for Minors.
Originally from the Saginaw area, JOE BALBAUGH has built a dynamic career at the intersection of music performance, education and composition. A multi-instrumentalist, Joe began teaching himself guitar as a kid, sparking a lifelong passion for music and performance. He went on to study music education with a minor in composition at Anderson University, where he also developed his skills as a trombonist. After college, Joe moved to Nashville to pursue a career in performance, continuing to grow as a guitarist and songwriter. Following a few years of performing and writing in Music City, he returned to his hometown, where he now teaches private music lessons and shares his passion with the local community. Joe continues to perform regularly and writes music with his band ADABOY!, blending creativity and experience into every project.
MEET THE STAFF
AMY PETTY - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A classically trained vocalist raised on Rock and Roll, Amy brings both soul and precision to her role as Executive Director of Major Chords for Minors. After years of touring, recording and performing everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center – sharing stages with artists like Sarah McLachlan, Jewel and Steve Van Zandt – Amy devotes her talents to ensuring the kids of Saginaw have access to the transformative power of music. With deep roots in performance, composition and education, she leads Major Chords with vision, warmth and experience, and the belief that creativity can change lives. When she’s not advocating for young musicians, Amy continues to perform, write and record, carrying her lifelong love of music into every corner of her life. At Major Chords for Minors, she’s helping the next generation find their voice – and turn it all the way up.
STEVEN L. MEYERS - FINANCE DIRECTOR
Steve Meyers brings nearly 30 years of experience within the music industry to Major Chords for Minors. This experience includes work in many aspects of the music world including but not limited to music instruction, performance, retail management, music store and lesson studio ownership. Steve owns a small business in Saginaw and has a deep passion for music and the arts.
SARAH BATES - OFFICE MANAGER
Sarah is a life-long music enthusiast and a hands-on supporter of local arts and culture. As a Saginaw native who spent about a decade living elsewhere, Sarah returned to the region with a greater appreciation of “home” and the unique things our city has to offer. Among various job roles in management and service industry, Sarah has spent much of her time supporting and volunteering at arts venues, humanitarian programs, or fundraising events such as Pit & Balcony Community Theatre, Habitat for Humanity, Saginaw Harvest Table, Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, and Camp Happy Days. Sarah merges her job skills in management and her volunteer skills supporting arts and humanitarian organizations in her work at Major Chords for Minors, including scheduling, communications with families, coordinating volunteers, and supervising operations at the studio.