Associate Conductor Recently retired from Brigham Young University-Idaho, where he taught for 23 years, Kendell Nielsen is currently director of bands at Layton High School. While at BYU-Idaho, Mr. Nielsen served as Director of Bands, Symphony Orchestra associate conductor, as the director of Music Theory studies, and as the private applied French Horn instructor. Mr. Nielsen is a recipient of both the Distinguished Faculty and Honorary Faculty awards from BYU-Idaho. Additionally, he has authored The Apolleric Approach to Teaching Music Literacy, a practical manual for teaching the skill of musical literacy to classrooms or individuals. While living in Idaho, he was also a member of the Targhee Brass Quintet. Before going to BYU-Idaho (then Ricks College), Mr. Nielsen was a well-respected teacher in the public schools of Utah where he received Utah Holiday magazine’s “Best Junior High School Music Educator” award in 1984. In Utah, as a free-lance professional horn player, he performed frequently as an alternate horn with the Utah Symphony, and as a pit orchestra player for the Utah Opera, Pioneer Memorial Theatre, Triad Center Theatre, and Promised Valley Playhouse. As a freelance conductor, he conducted pit orchestras for the Triad Center, Murray Community Theatre, and Promised Valley Playhouse as well as assisting with the Granite Youth Symphony, and coaching the brass section of the Mormon Youth Symphony. Most importantly (at least to Mr. Nielsen), is that he is the father of five children, and the grandfather of twelve grandchildren. His oldest son, Justin Nielsen, is very active in the music community of Boise as well as Twin Falls. Justin and his wife are the founders of Arts West in Eagle, Idaho. His second son, Ryan, is presently on faculty at Brigham Young University-Idaho, and finishing his doctoral degree from New England Conservatory of Music. His daughter, Nicole, is a freelance vocalist in Iowa, and is a member of the band, “The Awful Purdies.” His other two sons, Alex and Eric, play the Bass and Drums respectively. Mr. Nielsen’s sweetheart is Elaine (Larsen) Nielsen from Holladay, Utah, and accomplished pianist in her own right. Home