Hadestown: Teen Edition - November 14 - November 18, 2024
Riverton High School
MUSICIAN BIOS
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Brooklyn Gittins
Violin
Brooklyn Fagergren Gittins has participated in many musical theater pit orchestras, most recently for Phantom of the Opera with Kensington Theater Company. Brooklyn is currently a violinist in the Deseret Symphony Orchestra. At the University of Utah, where she earned her degree in Biology, she was concert master of the University Symphony Orchestra. In high school, Brooklyn was concert master of several orchestras and was selected to be a soloist for a traveling orchestra that toured Europe in 2018. She is very excited to be apart of this production.
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Karen Smith
Cello
Karen Smith is a seasoned musician and educator with a rich background in music performance. After earning a degree in Music Performance from Rice University, her dedication to the cello led her to Munich, Germany, where she honed her craft for two years and held an apprenticeship with the Württemberg Philharmonic of Reutlingen. With over 20 years of experience as a freelance cellist, Karen has performed alongside legendary artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, John Williams, Andrea Bocelli, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley, Willie Nelson, Tommy Lee, Dierks Bentley, Gentri, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. She has also performed with renowned ensembles such as the Fort Worth Symphony and the Utah Symphony. In addition to her performance career, Karen is dedicated to nurturing the students at South Hills Middle School, where she is in her sixth year of teaching eighth-grade math.
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Chris Jessee
Percussion
Christopher Jessee is the Director of Percussion and Jazz at Riverton High School in Riverton, UT where he teaches the Percussion Ensembles, Jazz Ensembles, Marching Band, and Guitar classes. He is a member of the board for the Utah Percussive Arts Society. Mr. Jessee holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Utah State University. Chris performs regularly as a freelance drummer with various groups in the Salt Lake area. He has performed with the Jazz Caputo's All Stars, Hopkins Jazz Trio, Salt Lake Symphonic Winds, American Festival Chorus, Larry Smith Kicks Band, and Weber State Indoor Percussion. He has performed around the US and toured internationally in Italy, Switzerland, and France. In his free time, Mr. Jessee loves spending time with his wife, Eliza and their two sons.
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