Tuacahn High School Fosters Musical Talents

We see stories of high schools dedicated to music, drama, dance in movies and recently on the Disney Channel. It is easy to think such a school is just a story, an unrealized dream for students dedicated to the arts. But Southern Utah has its own school committed to tomorrow’s budding performers. Tuacahn High School is tucked up against the red cliffs of Snow Canyon. The students there are already making waves in the performing world as they learn their traditional high schools skills along with some serious talent.

Their teachers are talented and renowned mentors in the performance world and they often get opportunities to work with world famous institutions like the Juilliard School of Music.

Jazz Band Students at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts had the privilege of having a clinic with The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, and their director, Carl Allen.

On Thursday March 3, 2011 , the talented Juilliard Jazz Orchestra was in town and performed for a packed audience that evening at Tuacahn High School's Hafen Theatre. While Juilliard has its campus in New York, it also has an affiliation with Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. Always wanting to expose local student musicians to a variety of high caliber performers, Jason Bonham, Di

rector of Instrumental Music at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, arranged for Juilliard to perform at Tuacahn. In addition, he also arranged for local music students to have clinics with this elite group. The students really enjoyed working with the Juilliard coaches, and many stayed for the outstanding concert that night as well.

Juilliard and Snow College awarded two full scholarships to the Juilliard Jazz Summer Workshop at Snow College to THS students, Jeffry Chapman (bass) and David Edmunds (guitar).

Just to get a glimpse into the talented youth this school is launching into the entertainment world right from the Southern regions of Utah we highlighted a few of Tuacahn’s up and coming musical stars. All of them have a passion for music and have already had a chance to strut their stuff on the piano, the violin or the guitar. So what do these real life musical high school students do to pursue their passions?

Keely Schmerber

Keely Schmerber began playing the piano at age three when she was accepted to Montclair State University's Suzuki Piano program in Montclair, New Jersey. It was not long before Keely's God-given gift for music was recognized.

Born with perfect pitch and incredible memory skills, Keely had the ability to hear a musical piece only once and instantly reproduce it on the piano. If she heard a church bell ring, a car horn honk, or a bird chirp, Keely was able to identify and match the tones. Music surrounded Keely and was an integral part of her life. Whether Keely was playing, eating, or napping, music filled the air around her.

After graduating from the Suzuki Piano program, six-year-old Keely and her parents attended an honors concert showcasing several outstanding students of popular pianist/composer Paul Zeigler. It was at this concert that Keely says she experienced a profound moment in her life. She turned to her parents and announced, “I want to be extraordinary like these students, please speak to Mr. Zeigler, I know he will get me there.” Thus began Keely's piano studies with Paul Zeigler. With many years of practice, lessons, concerts, and recitals under her belt, Keely embarked on a new phase of her musical journey, the world of piano competitions. Keely found piano competition exciting. Although competing required many long hours of hard work, Keely thrived on the intense preparation process, for she discovered that competing brought her performing ability to high levels.

Keely's successes have been many. At the age of thirteen, Keely was a winner in the Young Pianist Piano Competition and was awarded a solo performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Some of her other triumphs are the following: First place Goldblatt Piano Scholarship Competition, First Place (five years in a row) Sussex County Music Foundation Piano Scholarship Competition, Edna and Rudolph Schenk Memorial Scholarship Award for Most Promising Piano Student (Four years in a row), 2009 and 2010 Finalist in the prestigious Princeton Steinway Piano Competition, and most recently a “Superior” performance in the Advanced Piano category at Southern Utah's Performing Arts Festival.

In 2010, Keely moved to Utah's Dixie, “The most beautiful place in America,” as she describes it. “I consider living in Southern Utah the opportunity of a lifetime,” exclaims Keely. I attend the most incredible high school on Earth, Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, and I have been blessed with another fantastic piano teacher, Dr. Nancy Allred.” Recently, Keely competed in one of Southern Utah's biggest events, Dixie's Got Talent. Over one-hundred acts auditioned to be one of the fifteen finalists to perform at the Cox Auditorium for two nights of competition before a packed audience of over 1,100 people. Keely made it to the final fifteen, final six, final two, then became the First Place Winner in the Youth Division of Dixie's Got Talent. Keely says that winning Dixie's Got Talent was the happiest moment of her life; and she thanks her parents, grandparents, but most importantly, God for the gift He has given her and the loving, supportive people He has placed in her life.

When Keely is away from the piano, she works diligently to maintain her 4.0 grade point average. She loves to sing and is a member of Tuacahn's ladies concert choir, Radiante. Keely has performed with the New Jersey Pops, Sussex County Symphony Orchestra, and is a member of the Instrumental Music Academy and Chamber Orchestra at Tuacahn High School. This summer, Keely will be studying music and art in Tolentino, Italy, at the Instituto Musicale. Keely's dream is to pursue a career in piano performance and travel the world spreading the word of God with her music.

David Edmunds

David Edmunds, guitarist and cellist, is currently a Senior at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts. He began playing both instruments at about the same time when he was in middle school. Initially, he was self taught on guitar, and learned cello from his school orchestra. While David has both cello and guitar as primary instruments, he has also taught himself to play drums and bass guitar. David has had a variety of guitar teachers, and has been greatly inspired under the instruction of McKay Tebbs, formerly of Southern Utah University and Lisle Crowley of Dixie State College. He has learned jazz, classical and rock guitar. He has studied cello with Robin Keith and Alexa Muhly , and currently studies with Jason Bonham. Additionally, he has studied vocal music with Ryan Anderson and Brodie Perry, and was a member of the THS Madrigals.

Along with playing instruments, David is an avid songwriter. He was a winner in the Utah PTA Region 20, 2009-2010 Reflections contest in Musical Composition. He was accepted to the prestigious Berklee School of Music's It's All In The Song, workshop in August 2010, which was held in Los Angeles. He is currently a member of Southern Utah Song Writers Association (SUSWA).

As a guitar soloist, he was awarded a Merit Scholarship to Berklee College of Music, Guitar Sessions, in Boston, MA in August of 2010, where he studied rock guitar. He has earned superior ratings at Solo and Ensemble 2011 playing classical acoustic guitar. He is the principal guitarist of the THS Guitar Ensemble.

Playing cello solo, David has also received superior ratings at SUPAF in 2010 and 2011, and Solo and Ensemble in 2010.

David has been very busy with the numerous performing groups he is a member of; the THS Chamber Orchestra, THS Guitar Ensemble and the THS Jazz Band. Additionally, he is a cellist with the Zion Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Red Cliffs Chamber Orchestra. He was the principal cellist for the THS Chamber Orchestra when they received superior plus ratings at SUPAF in both 2010 and 2011 and when they received superior ratings at Solo and Ensemble Festival in 2010 at both region and state. He has earned a spot in the Washington County Honors Orchestra in 2010 and 2011. In his Freshman through Junior years, he formed bands for PTA's Battle of the Bands, and performed at the finals in 2010 with his band, Raspberry Onslaught.

Not only has David lettered in music since he has been at Tuacahn High School, he received the Titan Music Award for outstanding music student at as a Junior in May 2010. He is a member of the National Honor Society. He is an Eagle Scout, with 66 merit badges, and 9 palms. He volunteers his time playing both cello and guitar for church and community events. He enjoys hiking the red rock area of Ivins in his spare time.

Sabrina Parry

Sabrina Parry is a fourteen year old sophomore at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts where she studies music and musical theatre. When she was six years old, she began violin lessons with Utah Symphony member Teresa Hicks. Throughout the years, she traveled through several different teachers, learning new things with each one. Currently, she studies with Bonnie Romkey and Professor Monte Belknap of BYU. In the fall of 2010, she began viola lessons with Jason Bonham. In addition to violin and viola, Sabrina took private piano lessons for five years but has continued to play for her musical theatre classes and was rehearsal pianist in the latest musical at THS, All Shook Up.

Having participated in numerous orchestras, Sabrina has been called concertmaster many times. She currently sits as concertmaster in her school’s chamber orchestra and her most recent performance as concertmaster was at the YoungMusician’s Summerfestival at BYU. She’s also participated in the Southern Utah Music Institute under the direction of Nathan Madsen of Bard College as concertmaster, in the Utah Youth Prepatory Orchestra, All City Children’s Orchestra, Wasatch Mountain Camerata, and as second violin principal chair in the Utah Youth Symphony. Other orchestras that she participated in are the All County Honors Orchestra, Youth String Ensemble and Youth Chamber Orchestra of Jack Ashton. She was a part of the Salt Lake Chamber Society, Chamber Music Society of Southern Utah, and has been in many other chamber groups.

Sabrina was a member of and participated in the Utah Youth Guild for two consecutive years and was a member of the Utah Youth Symphony and Prepatory Orchestra for four years.

Her most recent solo performances have been in her studio recitals. She’s participated in the Lobbyfest, and recently played “The Four Seasons: Autumn” with her school orchestra. On April 29th, 2011, she will be soloing in the “Salute to Youth” concert with the Southwest Symphony. Sabrina has played the violin in many church functions, as well as sung and played the piano, volunteered at Care Centers, and will perform in the blink of an eye.

In addition to instrumental music, Sabrina has a passion for musical theatre. She loves to be in each and every production that Tuacahn High puts on. She just participated in All Shook Up (Dance Ensemble), When (Yumi), Once On This Island (Ensemble), White Christmas (Ensemble). She received the Titan Drama Award in 2010. She loves to sing and has participated in the Chamber Choir at her school, and is currently in Radiante.

Sabrina is so grateful to those who have helped her develop her talents. Especially Jason Bonham, Jandy, and Kentros. They’ve helped her so, so much and she loves their devotion to her progress.