Dear Parents, Faculty and Friends: 

We are pleased to confirm the rumor that the best-in-state youth orchestras formerly sponsored by The Music School in American Fork will be merging with American Heritage School effective immediately.  Kayson Brown, director of the combined orchestras and conductor of the Lyceum Repertory Orchestra (advanced, approximately 70-member, ages 13-18) will be joining the AHS faculty.  Denise Willey, conductor of the Chamber Orchestra (intermediate, ages 8-15) and Lyceum Jr. Strings (beginning, ages 6-10) will also be joining the AHS faculty. 

The orchestra students that come with Mr. Brown and Mrs. Willey are some of the most accomplished young musicians in northern Utah.  Mr. Brown, Mrs. Willey, and the new American Heritage Youth Orchestras bring with them the nation's only community music program affiliated with Juilliard and the Utah Symphony, including unparalleled access to Utah Symphony conductors and musicians, as well as visiting guest artists from Juilliard, Gina Bachauer, and a professional Artists in Residence program that draws visiting professionals from some of the finest orchestras in the world to mentor the American Heritage Youth Orchestra students. 

American Heritage School will serve not only as the parent organization and sponsor for these three extraordinary orchestras, but will also be the location of their after-school rehearsals and various performances.  Students need not be enrolled at American Heritage School to audition for the American Heritage Youth Orchestras; however, merit-based tuition scholarships will be considered for high school students (9th-12th grade) who successfully audition for the Lyceum Repertory Orchestra and who are also admitted to American Heritage  School. 

For more information see the Youth Orchestras link on our school website.

Sincerely, --Grant Beckwith