Artistic Director
Dr. Mark Anders Emile
A violinist and conductor, Dr. Emile is the artistic director of the Cache Symphony Orchestra, the music director/conductor of the Northern Utah Symphony, and the conductor of the New American Philharmonic. A music professor at Utah State University since 1981, he teaches classes in conducting, orchestration, and strings. He maintains between 5 and 10 private violin/viola students a week, and occasionally performs with the Utah Symphony and with other professional orchestras.
Dr. Emile studied conducting with Robert Shaw (Atlanta Symphony), Michael Charry and Louis Lane (Pittsburgh Symphony), Thomas Briccetti (Omaha Symphony), Sir Brian Priestman (Miami Symphony), Robert Emile (Lincoln and San Diego Symphonies), Harold Evans (University of Nebraska Opera), Tibor Kozma (IU, Bloomington, Opera) and Giora Bernstein (Pomona College). He has conducted professional, university and youth orchestras across the country, including in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Alabama, Utah, Idaho and Maryland. He has also had the honor of conducting premieres of works by Dominick Argento – “In Praise of Music” (a set of “songs” for orchestra), and “Out To The Wind” an opera by Robert Beadell, which was broadcast live on national public television.
His violin background includes a DMA from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he studied with Ozzie Lehnert (violinist in the Casals Trio), an MM from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and a BA from Pomona College, CA. He has performed in professional orchestras, including the San Diego, Omaha, Birmingham, Huntsville, Lincoln, and Utah Symphonies. He has performed on stage with well know artists from all genres; such as Arthur Fiedler, André Kostelanetz, Glen Campbell, Chet Atkins, Peter Schickele (P.D.Q. Bach), Peter Nero, Pink Martini, Daniel Heifitz, Chuck Mangioni, Toni Orlando and Dawn, and many others. He has performed and acted in movies with Glen Close, Meatloaf, Taj Mari (the famous Disney actor), Skitch Ulrich, Gary Oldham and others. He has also recorded movie scores, for television and theaters, such as “The Iron Giant”, “Lydian’s Jest”, the Walt Disney Move “The Scarecrow”, and “Zena, Warrior Princess” episodes.
For more information, please visit: https://cca.usu.edu/music/directory/emile-mark
Associate Conductor
Dr. Ghyas Zeidieh
Syrian conductor and cellist Dr. Ghyas Zeidieh is an active musician and educator coming from the Iowa and Illinois region. Previously he served as the Assistant Professor of Orchestral Studies at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA. In addition, Zeidieh serves as the music director at the Cedar Rapids Community Orchestra (IA), Northern Utah Youth Chamber Orchestra conductor, and is on the faculty at Utah State University in the string department. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts and master’s degree from the University of Iowa, and has degrees in Music and Dentistry from the Damascus Conservatory and University.
A passionate educator for all ages, Zeidieh has served as Instructor of Cello at Western Illinois University and was a member of the faculty Julstrom String Quartet. He has completed training in the Suzuki Association method in addition to teaching Orchestra in the Iowa City (IA) Community School District. Zeidieh is the former Program Coordinator at the Harmony School of Music, an El Sistema program in Iowa, and has also served as the Music Director for the Dubuque (IA) Symphony Youth String Ensemble and Philharmonia from 2019-2022. An active orchestral musician, Ghyas has played with many orchestras in the Middle East, including the National Syrian Orchestra, Syrian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Arab Youth Orchestra, and the Euro-Med Orchestra, can be heard on several Syrian film scores, and is a member of the Dubuque Symphony cello section. He has performed with numerous American ensembles including the National Geographic Midwestern Tour (MN and IL), Revival Theater Company (IA), Theater Cedar Rapids, Quincy Symphony (IL), and the Dirt Road Ensemble (NH). Since 2010, he has been involved with the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music in NH, serving as a Playing for Peace participant, counselor, and camp director.
For more information, please visit http://www.g-zeidieh.com
Lucy Williams
Lucy Williams began playing French horn in the 7th grade. She is a senior at Green Canyon High School, where she is president of the symphonic band, and the lead trumpet in the top jazz band. Lucy also represented Green Canyon as their Sterling Scholar in Instrumental Music. In addition to French horn, Lucy plays the trumpet, mellophone, and flugelhorn. She will be marching this coming summer with the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps in South Carolina. Lucy has received many awards including multiple superior ratings at the UHSAA State Solo and Ensemble, winner of the high school solo competition at the Northwest Horn Symposium at Central Washington University, and a scholarship to attend Kendall Betts Horn Camp. She plans to major in French Horn Performance and is currently trying to choose between several universities. Her ultimate dream is to play with a major symphony orchestra.
Jexton Bodrero
Jexton Bodrero is a senior at Bear River High School. He has played the cello for seven years. His interest in cello started with the recruiting efforts of Bear River High Orchestra director Jayme McKenna. With her encouragement, Jexton later joined the Northern Utah Youth Symphony (NUYS) to grow his musical skills and love for classical music. He is now principal cellist for the Bear River Orchestra and the NUYS. Wanting to play a concerto in concert before graduating high, and with the help of Margaret Ferry, Jexton recently was a Concerto winner for the NUYS, playing Allegro Appassionato. He enjoys participating in the High School Regional Solos, Cache Valley Strings, and in private recitals. Jexton is excited to further his education in music and wants to pursue a career in Dental Hygiene. He is grateful to everyone who has helped him on his musical journey.
Aimee Lam
Aimee Lam has always been a music enthusiast and is a sophomore at Green Canyon High School. She began her piano studies at age five, and at age seven joined Dr. Kevin Olsen’s piano studio at USU. She has been studying piano performance and composition since then. Aimee has received numerous awards in composition and piano performance competitions in Utah and out of state. She was chosen to participate in a gifted and talented student program and received the Hope of America award in recognition of her outstanding academic achievement and leadership. Aimee has maintained a 4.0 grade average while tackling AP classes, and she balances academics with her love for piano, composition, pickleball and socializing. Listening to piano music helps Aimee keep a calm mind while doing homework, and she plans to pursue a career in medicine, while nurturing her ongoing musical journey.