Faculty

Gifted Music School's distinguished faculty and guest artists include renowned soloists, pedagogues, chamber, and orchestral musicians. Our teachers specialize in teaching, nurturing, and growing music interest in toddlers all the way up to young professionals. A growing part of our program also focuses on continued training for professional musicians, teachers, and adults.  

Gifted Music School students can be found at all the nation's top music schools, including the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute, Colburn School, New England Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory, and others. Additionally, they have been recognized at national and international competitions and featured on NPR's "From the Top."  Locally, students from the Gifted Music School are dominant in all top local competitions and heard regularly with the Utah Symphony.

Piano

• Dr. Vera Oussetskaia Watanabe, Piano Area Chair
• Dr. Koji Attwood
• Dr. Whitney Pizza
• Joanna Oshida, Supplementary Piano Coordinator

Violin

• Eugene Watanabe, String Area Chair
• Thomas Baron
• David Price

Viola

• Dr. LeeAnn Morgan
• Erin Nolan

Cello

• Dr. Lauren Posey, Cello Area Chair
• Anne Francis Bayless

Double Bass

• David Yavornitzky

Woodwinds

• Dr. April Clayton, Flute, Woodwind Area Chair
• Dr. Jennifer Rhodes, Bassoon
• Erin Svoboda, Clarinet

Brass

• Dr. Seretta Hart, Trumpet

Music Theory

• Dr. Michael Chikinda, Theory Area Chair
• Matthew Durrant
• Kimberly Marsden

Chamber Music 

• Dr. LeeAnn Morgan, Viola, Chamber Area Chair
• Dr. Whitney Pizza
• Dr. Lauren Posey
• Erin Nolan
• Dr. April Clayton
• Anne Francis Bayless

*2021 May--Note: This faculty page is in the process of being updated.  Conservatory students study their instruments privately with GMSPD, GMS Adjunct, and/or Conservatory Faculty.

Gifted Music School's Olympus Quartet performing at the 2017 Fischoff Competition