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It's been more than 25 years since Utah Symphony violinist Jack Ashton started the Young Artist Chamber Players so that talented high-school-age string players in Utah could belong to a fine orchestra. In that time, Ashton has raised an entire generation of musicians.
Now one of YACP's former players, Rebecca Moench, sits beside Ashton in the violin section of the Utah Symphony. Another, Matt Johnson, occupies the associate principal cellist chair nearby. Alumni are performing in Utah's other top orchestras and teaching in Utah schools, or simply enjoying good music as they raise families.
This week, YACP's current crop of promising musicians performs a spring concert under Ashton's baton. The guest artist is another Utah Symphony musician, bass trombonist Russell McKinney, whose influence travels far and wide in Utah.
Neither musician intended to be a teacher, but when opportunities came, each discovered a knack and passion for developing the talents of young musicians.
"My dream was to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates," Ashton said. "As it turned out, every opportunity that came to me was in music. That eventually led me to audition for the Utah Symphony and be accepted by the incredible Maurice Abravanel, who believed in what I could do. I started teaching to pass it on."
Ashton, 72, retired last year from 33 years of part-time teaching at Olympus High School. Over that time, thousands of young musicians received inspiration from his classes, which were scheduled early so that Ashton could be in his chair at Abravanel Hall for 9:30 a.m. rehearsals with the Utah Symphony.
Coming to orchestra rehearsals after facing the daily challenges of teaching high school was "like sitting down in heaven," he said. But his love of teaching and commitment to musical education carried him through more than three decades of early rising.
Ashton offered encouragement to students, which didn't end when they left the Young Artist Chamber Players group, said Moench, who played in the group as a teenager. His kind, familiar presence made the young musician's transition into the pressure-cooker world of the Utah Symphony less intimidating.
Folksy demeanor notwithstanding, Ashton expects plenty from his players. "[YACP players] do some tough music and rise to the occasion," Moench said. "He doesn't dumb things down for the kids."
McKinney, who will perform Eric Ewazen's Concerto for Bass Trombone with YACP, agrees. "Some of the best student string players in Utah pass through that orchestra," he said. "They are very focused and get down to work."
Conservatory-trained McKinney grew up playing and singing in North Carolina churches and schools and has performed with a number of fine American orchestras. He started teaching because he was asked, and was surprised at the satisfaction it brought.
Working as director of music at First Presbyterian Church is another chance for the gregarious McKinney to interact with people and to perform music other than trombone repertoire. He conducts the church's choir, runs its concert series and has even soloed briefly as a countertenor — on the opposite end of the musical scale from bass trombone territory.
One of McKinney's former students is Salt Lake City professional trombonist Joshua Holder, who plays with several orchestras, helps with Utah Youth Orchestra and also teaches. He said his eyes were opened when he began studying trombone with McKinney at the University of Utah in 1997.
"To have the guy that has the job you want come up to the university and show you how it is done — how to play the trombone well, and play in an orchestra? It was fabulous," Holder said.
Playing with the Utah Chamber Artists and Utah Chamber Orchestra proved to Holder how important Utah Symphony musicians such as Ashton and McKinney are to Utah's arts scene.
"Without those musicians in the Utah Symphony, the arts community at large would struggle," he said. "They form the foundation of it all."
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Young Artist Chamber Players
Utah Symphony violinist Jack Ashton conducts a concert of music by Sibelius, Vaughan Williams and others. Utah Symphony bass trombonist Russell McKinney is the guest soloist. Orchestra member Christian Hales is featured in a movement from Franz Anton Hoffmeister's Bass Concerto.
When • Sunday May 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Where • Westminster College's Jewett Center, 1250 E. 1700 South, Salt Lake City
Admission • Free —
Play with us
Members of the Utah Symphony form the foundation of Utah's music community, passing on their knowledge at schools, community orchestras and churches. Most of the state's school music teachers, and the players in Utah's professional and amateur orchestras, have felt their influence.
Though performing in the Utah Symphony is a full-time job, many players educate developing musicians in their time off. Here's some background on violinist Jack Ashton and bass trombonist Russell McKinney:
Jack Ashton's bio • Ashton, 72, began his musical studies in the farming town of Tyhee, Idaho. After moving to Utah, he studied with David Shand and Oscar Chausow and was molded into an orchestra musician by legendary music director Maurice Abravanel.
Teaching • Ashton taught strings, theory and chamber music at Olympus High School for 33 years, retiring last spring. Students came early for his classes so he could be warming up at Abravanel Hall by 9 a.m. He also travels to Ephraim to teach string students and chamber music at Snow College.
Founder • Ashton founded the Young Artist Chamber Players in 1985 to give accomplished young string players a venue for performing challenging music. The group performs in the Salt Lake City area and tours in rural Utah and Idaho annually. Ashton also coordinates summer performing tours of Europe for young local musicians.
Private students • Ashton also teaches private lessons; alumni of his studio or the orchestra have graduated from conservatories around the nation and from performance programs at Utah universities. They include Utah Symphony cellist Matt Johnson and violinist Rebecca Moench, members of Orchestra at Temple Square and Utah Chamber Orchestra (Ballet West's orchestra), and many Utah music educators.
Russell McKinney's bio • Utah Symphony bass trombonist Russell McKinney grew up in North Carolina and attended Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.
Teaching • McKinney teaches low brass studies at Snow College in Ephraim and bass trombone at Brigham Young University and conducts the Westminster College Chamber Orchestra. Previously, he taught trombone at the University of Utah and other universities.
Music director • He conducts the choir at Salt Lake City's First Presbyterian Church and produces concerts and choral services. He is the founder and managing director for First Presbyterian's community concert series, which began in 2004.
Private students • McKinney teaches numerous private students. Former students include conservatory graduates, a trombonist in the nation's top Marine band, music professors in Utah and other states, Utah Symphony substitutes and performers in area orchestras.