Minnick creates music in a multitude of genres (orchestral and chamber music, blues, ska, free jazz, gamelan, klezmer, psychedelic pop, pirate music, a cappella, to name a few) and plays several instruments. He holds a bachelors degree in music composition and percussion from the Indiana University School of Music and a masters degree in music composition from Wayne State University in Detroit. He currently teaches music technology and music theory at Schoolcraft College, teaches private piano lessons, composes music for television and video games, and is the music director at Christ Our Light Parish in Troy Michigan.

 

He was the guitarist and primary songwriter for the Detroit ska band “Gangster Fun” from 1986-2000, has released many independent albums under the names “The Sursiks”, “The 180 Gs” and “Oven Mitt Johnson”. Minnick has created musical arrangements for a variety of artists from Marina Arsenijevic to Iggy and the Stooges, ICP and the Detroit Disco Project.