ENSEMBLE DIRECTORS
Kayson Brown is a passionate music educator whose primary goal is to inspire audiences and the young musicians he directs. As the founder of the Lyceum Music Festival and director of the Lyceum Youth Orchestras Program at American Heritage School, he oversees six youth orchestras and a nationally significant summer music festival. In all these endeavors, Kayson seeks to connect talented young musicians with their professional counterparts and has succeeded in creating programs that consistently attract large audiences to meaningful concerts and media that inspire, educate, and entertain.
Kayson Brown has been featured on, produced, conducted, orchestrated and arranged for multiple Billboard-topping albums. He co-wrote with The Piano Guys the Beethoven’s 5 Secrets single that ranked No. 1 on the iTunes and Billboard Classical Charts. He has been recognized by Best of State Utah and American String Teachers Association as one of the leading music educators in the nation. His music and student musicians have been heard over 100 million times on YouTube and have reached the top of the Billboard Charts on three separate albums.
Kayson holds a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting from Brigham Young University where he also served as conducting and cello faculty. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance from the University of Utah and has one of the leading websites and YouTube Channels to teach cello online via Learn2PlayCello.com. He has nearly two decades of experience conducting more than 25 symphony orchestras including professional, university, community, and educational ensembles nationwide.
Lisa Brodie is a conductor, violinist, and singer. She directs the Lyceum Symphonic Strings at American Heritage School. She has over 25 years experience conducting and coaching youth orchestras of all levels. Prior to joining the Lyceum Orchestra program, Lisa conducted with the Timpanogos String Orchestra program (TCO). Students from this program went on to study at Eastman, Colburn School of Music, New England Conservatory, Interlochen, MIT, Harvard, Stanford, BYU, and U of U, among others. Lisa is excited to bring her love of working with young musicians to the Lyceum Orchestra program. She comes from a musical family, her mother is a professional violinist and conductor, and all four of Lisa’s children perform professionally in classical, jazz and composition. Lisa currently teaches advanced violin students, loves to play classical and bluegrass mandolin and is currently taking organ lessons. Never stop learning!
Amanda Riley is and award-winning music educator of youth of all ages and a long time supporters of the Lyceum Music Festival. Mrs. Riley and her family traveled from Beaver to American Fork each week to have their children participate in the Lyceum program after attending LMF. She now directs Lyceum Chamber Ensemble at American Heritage School. Mrs. Riley is the director of orchestras at Timberline Middle School and was formerly the Orchestra and Choir Director at Beaver High School and Belknap Elementary School in Beaver. She holds a Masters Degree in Music Education from Sothern Utah University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Brigham Young University. Mrs. Riley followed her love for music as she started each of her young children playing the violin starting at age three and studied beside each of them. She was the recipient of the UTASTA Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2015. Her love for music, her family and youth has driven her to have a successful program where students feel safe, encouraged and allowed to follow their dreams. She has a passion for touching student’s lives and inspiring them to achieve excellence.
Carolyn Lundberg is a versatile and and dedicated music educator with decades of experience conducting youth ensembles. Mrs. Lundberg directs the Prelude Strings and Crescendo Orchestra at American Heritage School. She has played an essential role in the Lyceum orchestra organization since 2008. After graduating from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s in Piano Performance and Pedagogy under the tutelage of Dr. Irene Peery Fox, she went on to become active in performing other instruments as well including the cello, harp, organ and voice. She has many years of experience working with children in public school orchestras as well as maintaining a private studio and conducting choirs and other civic orchestras. She and her husband Dean enjoy running a busy musical family of 8 (including foster children). Carolyn is currently the Lindon city mayor, runs her own business, and is an active musician with the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra, Pleasant Grove Civic Symphony and other arts organizations across the state.
STRINGS
Geofrey Cua (violin) has distinguished himself as a soloist, chamber and orchestral player who has performed internationally and in renowned concert venues such as the Disney, Carnegie and Zipper halls. As a First Prize winner at the 2016 MTNA Young Artist competition in Maryland and first alternate in the All- Eastern division, Geofrey was invited to represent his state’s chapter at their yearly MTNA conference. He has also given performances at the Sligo Federation Club, the President’s Honor Recital (Riverside City College), and was selected as Port City Music Festival’s “Rising Artist”.
Geofrey has performed and collaborated with artists such as Luigi Mazzocchi, William Preucil, Scott Yoo, Juan Miguel Hernandez, as well as the Hausmann and Villiers string quartets. Outside the classical realm, he has also performed with Alien Ant Farm and Pink Martini. In 2015, he became Director and Artistic Director of the Emypre Chamber Ensemble, a mixed ensemble whose goal is to play chamber pieces by underrepresented composers, as well as premiering new works by living composers. During Emypre’s Mexico tour, they performed all of their concerts on instruments made by Mexican luthiers. Mr. Cua has also played in the Binghamton and Northeastern Philharmonics, the Riverside Lyric Opera, and is currently a member of the New England Symphonic Ensemble and the Lyrica Chamber Orchestra.
Geofrey received a Performer’s Certificate from Riverside City College studying violin with Jack Krumbein and Mischa Lakirovich, as well as conducting with Kevin Mayse and John Carter. In 2016, he received his BM at Washington Adventist University, with Dr. Preston Hawes and Gerald Fischbach (who came out of retirement specifically to teach him). He received his MM degree from the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University studying with Laura Bossert. Additional viola studies were with Juan Miguel Hernandez and Dr. Victor Yuzefovich, author of the autobiographies of David Oistrakh and Aram Khatchaturian.
Dr. M. Judd Sheranian (violin) is a former member of the Utah Symphony and has performed both as a violin soloist and vocal soloist with the Utah Symphony, the Jerusalem Symphony, the Honolulu Symphony, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Dr. Sheranian received his education at the Juilliard School, where he studied violin with Dorothy Delay, the University of Texas at Austin (MM, 1976), and the University of Arizona (DMA, 1998).
Under a Fulbright-Hays grant, he studied voice, opera, and Lieder in Berlin. He is an active studio recording artist with violin and voice and has taught voice and violin on the faculties of the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Utah State University, and Brigham Young University. He also owns and operates a violin school teaching Suzuki and traditional methods, and is the former Director of Committees for the Stradivarius International Violin Competition.
Kayson Brown (cello) holds a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting from Brigham Young University where he served as conducting and cello faculty. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance from the University of Utah. He is certified in the Suzuki method and has more than two decades of experience teaching cello. Kayson’s private students have gone onto major universities across the West with scholarships. He currently maintains a private studio with a considerable wait list of students.
Kayson played principal cello at both Brigham Young University and University of Utah and has soloed with more than a dozen symphony orchestras. He was featured in a KBYU Television special performing Bach Unaccompanied Suites and has released more than 150 videos on his Learn2playCello YouTube Channel helping cellists across the globe learn to play the cello.
Matthew Shumway (bass) is an in-demand performer in a variety of styles. He is the principal bass player of the Ballet West Orchestra, acting Principal Bassist for the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra, and performs with the Orchestra on Temple Square. Matthew is an active studio musician and frequent performer of jazz, folk, and baroque styles. He holds a Master’s degree in Double Bass Performance from Northwestern University and Bachelor’s Degree from BYU-Idaho. Matthew has performed with many artists and groups including Renée Fleming, Alfie Boe, Collin Raye, Richard Marx, David Archuleta, Tabernacle Choir, and Idaho Falls Symphony.
Matthew has performed music of the baroque era extensively and played the Violone with BYU-Idaho’s Baroque Ensemble. He also plays and sings with the “Mama’s Boys,” his family’s bluegrass band.
Carl Johansen (viola) holds a Master’s Degree from Manhattan School of Music in violin performance where he studied both violin and viola. He was formerly a member of the Orquesta Simfonica de Barcelona y Nacional de Cataluña, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and the Rochester Philharmonic. In 1988 he won the John and Arthur Beare prize at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, held on the Isle of Man. Carl enjoys paragliding, skiing, chess, and South American cuisine. Carl Johannsen joined the Utah Symphony viola section in 2005.
Nicole Pinnell’s (cello) playing has touched millions around the globe as the solo cellist for the Book of Mormon videos. Also featured on four Grammy-nominated projects, numerous Billboard-charting albums, and the Lamb of God Concert Film, Nicole is in demand across the globe. Nicole is known for her skill and passion in every musical genre, including classical, electric cello, looping, composition, improvisation, film, rock, and pop. Nicole has also worked extensively with musicians from Hindustani, African, and Middle Eastern traditions.
Nicole has backed up some of the finest musicians in the world, including Andrea Bocelli, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Josh Groban, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Olivia Rodrigo, Bernadette Peters, and Idina Menzel. She plays regularly with the Utah Symphony and is the solo cellist for Music Theater International based in New York City. She has a Master of Music degree in Contemporary Performance from the London College of Music. Nicole is a mother, stepmother, grandmother, and joyful disciple of Jesus Christ.
Nicole is an ardent advocate of creativity and writes music for her YouTube channel, Nicole Pinnell@allthingscello. A stellar educator, Nicole teaches cellists worldwide to transform their playing through innovative in-person and online teaching programs at nicolepinnell.com.
Ellen VanDam (violin) has been involved with music for 40 years. She plays violin, viola, and piano. Ellen holds a bachelor’s degree violin performance and pedagogy and a masters of music degree in violin performance both from Brigham Young University where she studied under Igor and Vesna Gruppman. She has loved being a member of Orchestras for the past 35 years and learning from wonderful conductors including Dr. Clynn Barrus, Igor Gruppman, Mack Wilberg, and Ryan Murphy. She currently teaches private violin students and plays as a member of the Orchestra at Temple Square. She has played with several chamber groups and has participated as a studio musician. She has focused her time and energy over the past 20 years to teaching music to her 9 children, all of whom play musical instruments including piano, cello, violin, and viola. Ellen attended American Heritage School in elementary school. She feels a deep connection to the school and what she learned about the purpose of music from her experiences participating in the orchestra and choir. Ellen currently conducts the choir in her home Ward and is a founding member of the Holladay 1st Ward Instrumental Ensemble, which she directs. She believes strongly that the greatest purpose of music is to glorify God and to lift the lives of those who participate and those who listen.
WOODWINDS
Daron Bradford (clarinet, oboe, flute, bassoon, saxophone) is a faculty member of the School of Music at BYU, teaching saxophone and clarinet. He holds degrees in clarinet performance and music education from BYU, and has performed with the Utah Symphony, Orchestra at Temple Square, Utah Baroque Ensemble and other professional ensembles on clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, double reeds, flute and voice. His extensive list of honors and awards include Pearl Awards for “Best Holiday Album” and “Studio Musician of the Year” (twice!), and “Outstanding Music Studies” from the BYU Music Department.
BRASS
Dr. Jay Roberts (low brass) holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in trombone performance from Arizona State University. He also received a master’s degree in music from the Yale School of Music. He taught high school concert band and marching band, as well as a full studio of private students, for many years in Arizona before moving to Utah in 2018. Dr. Roberts is currently the High School and Jr. High band director at Freedom Preparatory Academy in Provo, UT.
PERCUSSION
Dennis Griffin (percussion) was the band director and taught percussion at Utah State University for a total of 36 years. He performed with the Orchestra at Temple square for 11 years, and was an extra for the Utah Symphony and Ballet West for several years. Dennis has been teaching for more than 60 years and has students now teaching at universities and public schools around the country.