Conductors
Conrad Dunn
NUYS (2013)
Conrad started his musical career at age four as he sat on the front row at the concert of world-renowned violinist Zino Franciscotti; his little heart was touched forever.
Inspiration, determination, dedication and hard work carried him through a fascinating career of teaching and performing. Playing with groups, and performances too numerous to mention, have filled his life and dreams. Years playing with the Osmonds have been some of the special highlights along the way.
He has spent over 30 years in the field of education. His passion is sharing his knowledge with the youth and instilling a love for music in their lives. He has been teaching orchestra at the Thomas Edison Charter Schools in Cache Valley for the last thirteen years, and has been the conductor of our Northern Utah Youth Symphony for nine years.
Jaquell Hubner
NUYPS (2024)
Jaquell Taylor began her musical journey with the cello at the age of five. She pursued her passion for music at Brigham Young University - Idaho, where she studied Music Education with an orchestral emphasis. Jaquell has played in numerous orchestras, traveling across many states and Europe. Currently, she is the director and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Cello Festival in Rexburg, Idaho and Bozeman, Montana. She is a former member of the Northern Utah Youth Symphony and is excited to be a part of helping it grow.
Jaquell is currently performing in community orchestras and doing freelance work around the area. Some of that includes playing in wedding quartets in Utah and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She also had many opportunities to play with the Idaho Falls Symphony while going to school. As a recent graduate, Jaquell is excited to share her love of music with each and every student. She has a deep love for teaching and is dedicated to helping others through music.
Being her first year, Jaquell is eager to start working with the Preparatory Strings orchestra and has a lot of fun ideas planned!
Dr. Ghyas Zeidieh
NUYCO (2023)
Syrian conductor and cellist, Dr. Ghyas Zeidieh is an active musician and educator coming from the Iowa and Illinois
region. Previously he served as the Assistant Professor of Orchestral Studies at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA. In
addition, Zeidieh serves as the music director at the Cedar Rapids Community Orchestra (IA) and is on the faculty at
Utah State University in the string department. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts and master’s degree from the
University of Iowa, and degrees in Music and Dentistry from the Damascus Conservatory and University.
A passionate educator for all ages, Zeidieh has served as Instructor of Cello at Western Illinois University and was a
member of the faculty Julstrom String Quartet. He has completed training in the Suzuki Association method in
addition to teaching Orchestra in the Iowa City (IA) Community School District. Zeidieh is the former Program
Coordinator at the Harmony School of Music, an El Sistema program in Iowa, and has also served as the Music
Director for the Dubuque (IA) Symphony Youth String Ensemble and Philharmonia from 2019-2022. An active
orchestral musician, Ghyas has played with many orchestras in the Middle East, including the National Syrian Orchestra, Syrian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Arab Youth Orchestra, and the Euro-Med Orchestra, can be heard on several Syrian film scores, and is a member of the Dubuque Symphony cello section. He has performed with
numerous American ensembles including the National Geographic Midwestern Tour (MN and IL), Revival Theater
Company (IA), Theater Cedar Rapids, Quincy Symphony (IL), and the Dirt Road Ensemble (NH). Since 2010, he has
been involved with the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music in NH, serving as a Playing for Peace participant,
counselor, and camp director.
For more information, please visit www.g-zeidieh.com
Sarah Kateifides
NUYWE (2024)
Sarah has taught music for over 15 years. She received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern Queensland in Australia and a Master of Music Education through Southern Utah University. Before moving to the US Sarah taught band in Australia at the elementary and secondary level. Working collaboratively with staff and administration she was able to build a strong and sustainable program. Sarah loves working with young musicians and creating meaningful and beautiful music.
Staff
Heather Lyman
NUYS Managing Director (2024)
Heather Lyman has always had a love for music. She was so excited when she was able to start on the clarinet at 11 years old. When she was 13 she transferred to the oboe and fell in love with the unique sound of the instrument. Through high school she played in many honors bands, honors orchestras, and chamber groups. She was named one of the top oboists in the state of Michigan her senior year and her Woodwind Quintet was named top chamber ensemble. She was accepted into the BYU School of Music on scholarship where she studied oboe performance. She performed regularly with the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra and Wind Symphony, along with numerous woodwind quintets and trios. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Woodwind Performance. While studying oboe she discovered both her love for teaching and her love for oboe reed making. Heather has taught privately for the past 20 years. Her students have gone on to study music at BYU, USU, SUU, Weber St., and Harvard, many on scholarship. She also started a reed making business-Mountain West Oboe which sells oboe reeds and cane. She currently has customers from New York to Seattle and many places in between.
In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, her husband Mark and her two daughters Anna and Tia. She also enjoys gardening, hiking, and painting. She is also a die-hard Detroit Lions and LA Dodgers fan.
Ethan Porter
Woodwinds Specialist (2024)
Ethan Porter is an Ogden based woodwind instrumentalist. His love of the woodwinds started with the flute at a young age, then adding saxophone and clarinet to his studies in high school and college. He completed his bachelors of instrumental performance at Weber State University in the spring of 2024. During his time at Weber Ethan played in the symphony orchestra, symphonic band, jazz ensemble, and various small ensembles ranging from woodwind quintets to jazz combos. Ethan has served as section leader of the symphonic band flutes for his last two years at WSU as well as taking on leadership roles in the Weber State honors flute ensemble. Ethan has performed in several Ogden venues such as the Eccles theater and Peery’s Egyptian theater. Ethan has also played in many honor bands, including the 2024 Western intercollegiate band in Las Vegas.
Ethan started teaching at the latter half of his time at Weber State, teaching flute, saxophone, and clarinet. He currently is the winds teacher at Music Village in Ogden.
Ethan still performs as much as he can, he plays all of his instruments in different local ensembles and jazz combos, and is always looking for somewhere to share his love of music.
Tanner Chipman
Brass Specialist (2024)
Tanner Chipman has always loved music, but he found his passion for music at the age of 12 when he first picked up the French Horn in beginning band. Since then, he has participated in many competitions, and won numerous awards, including Instrumental Music Sterling Scholar, and the Marine Corps “Semper Fidelis” Award for Musical Excellence. He has played in a wide variety of ensembles, including the Condie Brass Quintet at the University of Utah and our very own Northern Utah Youth Symphony. During high school, he picked up the trombone and mallet percussion, both of which he has excelled at. Now, Tanner is pursuing his Bachelor’s in Instrumental Music Education at the University of Utah.
Being an alumni of the Symphony, Tanner is excited to come back and teach students not just to become better players, but to love the group as much as he does.
Sara Hurd
Percussion Specialist (2023)
A versatile and passionate musician, Sara Hurd is a seasoned percussionist and pianist. Sara learned piano at a young age and has been a go-to accompanist for choirs, soloists, and small groups. Sara has sung with choirs for most of her life and conducted choir for a church congregation for several years. She also sang at Brigham Young University under the baton of Mack Wilberg, one of the most well-known choral arrangers of the 21st century.
With a rich percussion journey that began in junior high and extended through high school, her time at Brigham Young University, and beyond, Sara has developed a deep love for collaborative performance. At BYU, she had the privilege of playing with the Percussion Ensemble, the Wind Symphony, and the Panoramic Steel steel drum band. Sara also played snare and tenor drums in drum lines throughout high school at Pleasant Grove High School and through all four years at Brigham Young University. She played percussion and sang in the choir for three years with the Mormon Youth Symphony and Chorus, and played handbells for three years with the Utah Valley Handbell Ringers, honing her skills and contributing to dynamic ensembles.
Currently, Sara performs with the New American Philharmonic and the Ogden Concert Band, while also serving as the Percussion Specialist for Northern Utah Youth Ensembles. Her dedication to music and experience across various groups reflect a lifelong commitment to rhythm, harmony, and community through music.
Sara has six children, all of whom she encourages to pursue music as long as they love it as much as she does. She runs operations and development for a tech startup.
Scott McCauley
Bass Specialist (2024)
When Scott first saw an upright bass in middle school, it was love at first sight. He went on to play in jazz band and symphony through high-school and at the University of Wyoming. He went on to accompany many musical and groups and perform with the Wyoming State Symphony and other community symphonies before settling in Ogden. He is a full-time graphic designer who is thrilled to be teaching and kindling the same love for bass in his spare time.
Josie Anderson
NUYCO Managing Director (2020)
NUWE Managing Director (2024)
Josie has always loved music, and began private lessons when she was six years old! She enjoys playing the violin, piano, and organ, and has occasionally dabbled in singing and playing the viola.
She performed in the Northern Utah Youth Symphony for two years and then joined the Lake Bonneville Symphonic Society Board of Directors to continue to stay involved in NUYS and NUYCO. She has loved being the managing director of NUYCO!
She teaches at Harmony Arts and Music Academy in Tremonton and feels so blessed to love what she gets paid to do! She also enjoys gardening, sewing, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Dirk Pace started his musical training on cello in 4th grade, adding string bass and baritone to his instrumental lineup in Jr. High. He continued with multiple performance groups on these instruments through High School and college, naturally leading to a Bachelor of Music degree in Education from Brigham Young University and many fond memories of performances in various renowned venues, including but not limited to the Rose Bowl (Los Angeles), the Cotton Bowl (Dallas), Sun Devil Stadium (Tempe), and Romney Stadium (Logan).
After some time teaching band in Ely, NV and orchestra in Fayetteville, NC his career took him away from public education but not from community performing. I have continued performing on the cello with various groups in Cumberland County, NC, Salt Lake and Cache Counties, UT.
Dirk Pace
Cello Specialist (2023)
Kristene Murrow
Viola Specialist (2024)
Kristene Murrow is from Howell, Utah. She began her violin studies at the age of 4, and is currently a junior studying with Rebecca McFaul at Utah State University. At USU, Kristene has performed on the Departmental Honors Recital, performed in masterclasses with esteemed guest artists such as Toby Appel and the Thalea String quartet (chamber music), Chad Hoopes and Madeline Adkins (solo), and also worked with emerging composer Kevin Day on a memorable chamber music project. In the summer of 2023 and 2024, Kristene attended the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, studying with Shannon Thomas, the Lake City Violin Intensive in CO, studying with Annie Chalex-Boyle, and in the summer of 2022 attended the Fry Street Chamber Music Festival studying with the Fry Street Quartet. She has served as concertmaster of the Utah Youth Symphony, the Young Artist Chamber Players, the Ogden Camerata, and the 2021 High School All-State Orchestra. She has successfully competed in many competitions and received numerous honors and awards, including solos with the Northern Utah Youth Symphony, the Ogden Youth Symphony, and the Ogden Camerata, received superior ratings and has been featured in the ASTA Festival Honors Recital at Utah State University and Weber State University, and received Honorable Mention at the UMTA Concerto Competition in 2020 and 2024.
Kristene is the oldest of six children and together they enjoy sharing the gift of music throughout the community. Besides music, she also enjoys jewelry making, photography, reading, and being outdoors.
Susie Bean
1st Violin Specialist (2023)
Susie Bean was born in Salt Lake City and has played the piano for 35 years and the violin
for 30 years! As a kid she remembers listening to the scores behind movies and Saturday morning cartoons and falling in love with music. In her youth, Susie participated in the Granite Jr. Youth Symphony and toured with the Granite Youth Symphony, acting as Concertmaster throughout High School while studying with Anne Beus and later June Crosby.
Susie has been able to advance and refine her musical education by studying the piano in college, through participation in the Mountain Springs Music Festival, and multiple violin and performance Masterclasses under skilled artists including Sarah Kent, Emily Ricks, and Igor and Vesna Gruppman. She continues to refine her art by studying with Dr. Jeremy Starr (recent Director of Orchestras and head of string studies at Emporia State University).
Susie has performed with many ensembles and has acted as Concertmaster for pit orchestras in multiple musical productions. She has served as the Orchestra Manager for the West Valley Symphony of Utah, and is the current Concertmaster for the West Valley Symphony of Utah. This has given her the
opportunity to play with groups such as the Beatles tribute band “Imagine,” and the ABBA tribute band “ABBACADABRA,” as well as events like the Days of ’47 KUTV Pops Concert, the KUTV Holiday Pops Concert benefiting the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program, and the Larry H. Miller Christmas Carole Sing-Along.
Even as a young girl, she knew she wanted to be a part of creating and sharing the magic of music!
Susie thrives in the joy music can bring to both performers and listeners alike, and feels privileged to be part of that mutual collaboration.
Annie Kunz
2nd Violin Specialist (2023)
Annalese (Annie) Kunz grew up in a small town in central Utah. She begged her mother for violin lessons but was put off for a couple of years with piano to make sure Annie was serious about violin. The pleading paid off and Annie finally began violin lessons at age 7. In the 5th grade Annie began to learn viola in the school orchestra and then saxophone in 6th grade.
Throughout middle and high school, Annie enjoyed playing with the school orchestras and bands as well as a seasonal community orchestra. Her family would often share music at care centers and elderly neighbor's homes.
Looking for further opportunities, Annie and her mom would drive 3 hours round trip for weekly lessons and to play with the Utah Valley Youth Symphony. She loved touring with the youth symphony to Nevada, California, Germany, Austria, and Mexico.
Annie attended Snow College and enjoyed playing under the baton of Dr. Brent Smith in the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras where she served as principal violin and concert master. She even had the opportunity to tour to Holland with the college playing viola in a string quartet.
After graduating from USU with a degree in elementary education, Annie has been busy raising four kids with her husband in Perry. She has been a private music instructor since 2013 and is a founding member of the Box Elder Pops Orchestra.
Music has always been a large part of Annie's life and continues to be a creative outlet. She enjoys spending time with the youth sharing her love of music.
Board of Directors
Doris D’Asto - Chairman, Grant Manager
Heather Lyman - NUYS Manager
Josie Anderson - Secretary, NUYCO Manager & NUYWE Manager, Asst. to Managing Directors, Librarian
Cathy Prows - Bookkeeper
Naomi Miles - Grocery Card Fundraiser
Sarina Pace - Board Member, Parent Council
Kathryn Bodrero - Executive Director, NUYPS Manager, Website Administrator, Social Media Manager, NUYE Youth Musician's Council Leader