About Us
Our Mission
To provide the structure and resources for the advancement of youth and adult symphonic opportunities in the small towns, cities, and outlying rural areas of Northern Utah.
Our History
In 1996 the Lincoln Youth Symphony (LYS) was originally formed as an outreach of the Lincoln Center, an after-school program in Brigham City, UT. It successfully developed into an audition-level symphony orchestra for youth, 13-18 years old, from throughout Northern Utah. By 2014, the LBSS Board of Directors felt that we had entered into a new era of vitality and expansion, and the decision was made to change the name of our orchestra to reflect the wide geographical region of Northern Utah in which our youth live. In the 2014-2015 season, the Lincoln Youth Symphony officially became the Northern Utah Youth Symphony and has continued its tradition of performing the many wonderful symphonic works written by great composers, past and present.
In 2004 the Lincoln Youth Chamber Orchestra (LYCO) was formed as a preparatory string orchestra for youth, ages 9-16, who need to develop stronger playing skills before entering into the Lincoln Youth Symphony. During the 2014-2015 season, the LincolnYouth Chamber Orchestra’s name was changed to the Northern Utah Youth ChamberOrchestra. NUYCO has many goals: (1) to train the youth in the art of ensemble performance; (2) to advance their playing skills; and (3) to develop their knowledge of the string orchestra repertoire.
In 2000, the Lake Bonneville Community Symphony (LBCS) was organized to provide an opportunity for amateur/professional musicians, young and old, to perform together for community concerts and events. In the fall of 2014, LBCS officially changed its name to the Northern Utah Community Symphony as part of the unifying of our three orchestras under one name. For 20 years NUCS has sponsored the annual Messiah Sing-in, performing in the historic Brigham City Tabernacle.
In 2004 the Lake Bonneville Symphonic Society (LBSS) was formed as a non-profit organization to oversee the management of the three orchestras. Formal approval of our501(c)(3) status occurred in April 2005, enabling the Society to coordinate funding, staff, and resources for the three orchestras.
Past Conductors
Symphony
Dr. James McWhorter, 1996 - 1998
Dustin Williams, 1999 - 2002
Cindy Petti, 1999 - 2002
Dallin Hansen, 2002 - 2004
Gayle Mansfield, 2002 - 2005
Cory Jensen, 2005 - 2007
James Arbizu, 2006- 2008
Dr. John Findlay, 2007 -2010
Robert Bott, 2010 - 2012
Samuel Runolfson, 2012 - 2013
Chamber
Diane Austin, 2004 - 2005
Grover Wilhelmsen, 2004 - 2006
Dr. John Findlay, 2005 - 2008
Gayle Mansfield, 2007 - 2009
Charles Thompson, 2009 - 2011
Amanda (Kippen) Poland, 2011 - 2016
Susan Wilcox, 2016 - 2016
Amber Taylor, 2016 - 2016
Nathan West, 2016 - 2023