She is a pianist, organist and flautist born in the Woodlake/Richfield area of Minnesota who first studied at Woodlake School and Lincoln Hills Elementary.
She studied the piano with the organist from her church and her parents were members of the adult choir. She played the piano for the children and junior choirs and later, while still a student took part in Bible Camp Weeks and other Lutheran events. Her junior year saw the formation of Crusaders and a speech choir performed the narration of the story of Jesus with instrumental and vocal music being inserted.
She went on to study at Concordia College and around that time married the Lutheran hymn composer and songwriter John Ylvisaker. They recorded at least three albums that included Follow Me, Love Song and Cool Livin’ during the late 1960s on which her husband sang and she accompanied him by playing the organ and/or flute.
More recently she has performed as a member of Flute Cocktail based in Minnesota.
Sources:
- https://woodlakechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/WL-Messenger-10.20181.pdf
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/amanda-ylvisaker-mn0001792006/credits
- https://thelisteningpostblog.wordpress.com/2021/02/06/song-of-the-day-john-ylvisaker-amanda-ylvisaker-wade-in-the-water/
- https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/john-and-amanda-ylvisaker/follow-me/
- http://www.ylvisaker.com/?page_id=382
- https://flute-cocktail.org/
- https://flute-cocktail.org/participants