A bard is a mythic storyteller in song. Re-interpreting this ancient tradition with characteristic glamour, songwriter and composer Carlisle Evans Peck takes listeners on journeys to the beginnings and endings of a life, through grief and joy, through love and heartbreak, within the transcendental queer complexity of being. As a consummate storyteller and captivating live performer, Carlisle’s musical tales are heartrendingly honest and intricately complex, with virtuosic and versatile vocals that “connote strength and fragility almost simultaneously” (Jon Behm, Reviler.org).

Based in the Twin Cities since 2015, Carlisle has released four self-produced records, performed their work nationally, and composed for choirs, bands, and theater ensembles around the region. For their musical intuition, innovation, and inspiration, collaborators have granted them the nickname “The Magician”.

Their music brings to mind music-theater rather than typical songwriter fare, ranging from grandiose musical epics to hushed ballads laid bare. Their singular style may be glam-folk or orchestral rock, and they transform any stage, parlor, or wooded glade into a theater and any moment into high drama. In their music one will hear orchestral grandiosity, rock-operatic maximalism, intimate balladry, and lyrical storytelling, all interwoven into a shapeshifting tapestry that defies classification.

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Carlisle is an active collaborator with film and dance in the Twin Cities as a composer.