Meet the Grand Staff: Teachers & Musicians

I began taking Suzuki music lessons, both private piano lessons and group theory workshops, when I was five years old.  My older and younger siblings also studied piano.  Practicing and listening to the Suzuki cassette tapes was a constant sound in my home.

When I was twelve, my older sister and I were asked by a couple of family friends if we would be interested in teaching piano to their children.  What a wonderful learning experience that was!

Through my teenage years I taught private lessons and attended multiple Suzuki teacher-trainings while continuing to take private lessons myself.  I studied primarily under four teachers during my time at home (three Suzuki teachers and one traditional teacher).

During my last year at home and then throughout my college years, I worked with autistic children in a one-on-one setting using an ABA behavioral therapy method.  After I graduated from college I had the opportunity at one point to merge these two skills and teach piano to a young boy with autism, as well as a few other students.

I received my Bachelor's of Science degree in Recreation Management and Youth Leadership at Brigham Young University where I learned how effective teaching through activities is.  It is certainly my favorite way to learn, and teaching music theory with games is a win!

Since then, I have had four children of my own and music is a constant sound in our home: piano, singing, guitar, viola, cello, bass, bass guitar, French horn, flute, recorder, harmonica, drums, etc.  I have enjoyed multiple volunteer opportunities to both lead music and accompany (on the piano) children’s singing time at church, homeschool and preschool co-ops, as well as accompanying my children on their various instruments.

I love working with children; and I love music!  Teaching music to children is the perfect combination for me.  ~Sarah

Voice

Justin has been a music enthusiast since he belted out Weird Al songs as a toddler!  He began singing in an after-school audition choir (Heritage Youth Chorus) in fall 2017.  He has just finished his fifth year with that choir and has toured with them in Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware.  Justin sang with the audition choirs for all three years at AFJH (becoming quite proficient in solfege) and went back his sophomore year to TA for a semester for a new vocal class there.  He currently sings at AFHS, in the Heritage Youth Chorus, and in small side choirs just for fun.  Voices classes and choirs are an essential part of his life.

Double Bass & Cello

Watching his older brother play viola in orchestra, Justin decided he wanted to play bass. His mom wasn’t ready to commit to that quite yet and so he started in 7th grade with the cello in the school orchestra and loved it; but still his heart longed to play the bass and he switched during the following summer.  He caught on so quickly that his teacher put him into the advanced orchestra that fall.  While at AFJH he performed on the bass in an Honor Orchestra and the junior high All-State Orchestra in Salt Lake City right before the COVID19 pandemic hit.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Justin continued to practice hard on his bass and joined an after-school audition orchestra (Lyceum Concert Orchestra) where he enjoyed playing with a full symphony from fall 2020 to spring 2022; and began taking private bass lessons.  He still loved the cello and happily continued practicing on borrowed instruments when he could until he was gifted his own.

As opportunities opened up in winter/spring 2022, Justin placed as principal bass in the Utah All-State High School Symphony in January; was awarded an “Outstanding Musicianship” award at a festival in California, while on tour with the AFHS Orchestra in March; played side by side with the principle bass of the “Utah Symphony All-Star Youth Pro-Am Side-by-Side Concert” in May; and is currently preparing for a bass solo recital.

Every summer Justin loves to go back the junior high for Summer Strings to help the up and coming bassists and cellists to learn and love their instruments.

Piano

 Several months of piano lessons with his mom seemed to show young Justin that piano wasn’t super interesting to him and he dropped it.  After a couple of years of singing in choirs, starting orchestra, and watching his mom and other friends playing the piano, he started tinkering around with it again.  Highly motivated this time, he practiced in every spare moment: from learning the accompaniment for his choir music to Chopin nocturnes to dreaming of playing Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with a full symphony. 

Justin began accompanying his brothers in recitals and adjudications, a YouTube video during the pandemic for his brother's recital, and even himself in his voice classes.  His dream came true in May 2022 when AFHS orchestra, combined with band and percussion members, performed “Rhapsody in Blue” in their spring concert and Justin got to play the piano!

At the same May concert, Justin accompanied the junior high orchestra; and then went on to accompany a choral number with his choir tour in June.

~Summer 2022