Board
Leadership guiding the Bountiful Philharmonia
Darrin Thiriot
Artistic Director & Music Director · Bountiful
Darrin has performed and taught across the nation as both a clarinetist and conductor. He retired from a twenty-seven year military band career in the Air Force Band in Washington D.C. and the Army Special Bands Conductor program. As an orchestral musician, Darrin performed with numerous professional orchestras as both a clarinetist and conductor. He served as adjunct faculty at Methodist University and the University of Utah. Darrin is currently the founding director of the Bountiful Philharmonia Orchestra and leads the Davis Youth Philharmonic, his fifth youth orchestra. He performs as a clarinetist with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra.
Sara Jane T. Nicholson
Board Chair, Executive Director · Bountiful
Sara Jane taught orchestra at Woods Cross High and six feeder schools for 15 years while maintaining a private studio of violin and piano students. She is a violinist in the Orchestra at Temple Square and performed with the Utah Festival Opera orchestra. She received a BM in Violin Performance and Pedagogy from BYU, completed graduate work in Musicology, and certified in Secondary Music Education. She studied with Erlene Bennion, Ted Ashton, LaMar Barrus, Nel Gotkovsky, and Donna Fairbanks. Sara Jane brings lifelong performance, teaching, and leadership experience to the Philharmonia.
Steven Farr
Board Vice Chair · Farmington
Steven is a passionate cellist, teacher, and arts administrator. He holds a master’s degree in cello performance and Suzuki string pedagogy from East Carolina University, and a master’s degree in arts administration from Southern Utah University. Steven teaches orchestra in Davis School District and directs Counterpoint School of Music, a Suzuki-based community school in Bountiful. He has performed with professional orchestras, opera and chamber festivals, given solo recitals, and taught at summer workshops and Suzuki Institutes in Utah and North Carolina.
John Margetts
Board Treasurer · Bountiful
John studied violin for 15 years, beginning at age three, with teachers Jeanne Grover, Jack Ashton, and Max Mueller. He played in the USU Symphony Orchestra and served as its president, and has performed in community pit orchestras, ensembles, and gigs for 25 years. John is president and owner of Dynapac Motion in Salt Lake City and holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Michelle Looyé
Board Secretary · Bountiful
Michelle began her musical studies on the violin and later started playing the cello too. She earned a BA in music from BYU, where she performed in the BYU Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras. She also received a BS in music therapy from USU and holds the credential of Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC). Michelle has performed in various groups including the Utah Valley Symphony, pit orchestra for Utah Metropolitan Ballet, and the Bountiful Philharmonia. She has a master’s degree in social work and currently works as a medical social worker. In her free time, she enjoys baking, gardening, traveling, planning adventures, and spending time with her family.
Heather Severson
Board Member · North Salt Lake
Heather holds BM and MM degrees in Violin Performance from BYU, performing in the BYU Philharmonic and Chamber orchestras and numerous chamber ensembles. She currently performs with the Bountiful Philharmonia and the Orchestra at Temple Square. Heather has worked as an Academic Advisor at BYU and a Graduate Coordinator at the University of Utah, and she is active in homeschooling and family travel planning.
Monica Thiriot
Board Member · Bountiful
Monica began violin at age six, studying with Jeanne Grover, Karen Child, Jack Ashton, and Gerald Elias. A University of Utah graduate in violin performance and elementary education, she has helped found and direct youth and community orchestras across MD, DC, NY, and NC while moving for her husband’s military assignments. She performed with the Fayetteville Symphony and other North Carolina regional orchestras, and served as operations manager and educational outreach director for the Fayetteville Symphony. Monica loves performing with her husband and children.
Sara Margetts
Member of Grant and Fundraising Committee · Bountiful
Sara studied violin for 15 years and performed in orchestras through high school and college, earning a music scholarship at Utah State University. She was a member of the Granite Youth Symphony and the Utah Festival Opera Company pit orchestra, and served as principal 2nd violin for a semi-professional opera company in Salt Lake City. Sara continues to play in community orchestras and for private events, and she has coached students in Davis School District orchestras. She holds a Master’s in Public Health, co-owns a local small business, and has professional training and experience in grant writing and editing.
Seth Law
Technology Specialist · Bountiful
Seth is the founder of Redpoint Security, specializing in code security using offensive and defensive techniques. He is a coder and IT security specialist with years of experience creating, developing, and maintaining websites. Seth co-hosts the Absolute AppSec podcast and provides IT and website management support for Bountiful Philharmonia. He also plays viola in the orchestra.
Shalaun Howell
Board Member · Bountiful
Shalaun is a Certified Public Accountant specializing in accounting, assurance, consulting, and tax services for nonprofits. She is a partner at Bountiful Peak Advisors, serving nearly 200 nonprofits annually. Shalaun graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Accounting (Summa Cum Laude) and a Master of Professional Accountancy (Tax Emphasis). She has served on many nonprofit boards, including the Utah Nonprofits Association and Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants, and has been recognized by the AICPA and Utah Philanthropy Day for her leadership. She provides nonprofit consulting and tax services to Bountiful Philharmonia and plays clarinet in the orchestra.
Mary Thompson
Grants and Fundraising · Kaysville
Mary began playing the flute when she was 10 years old. She holds a BM in Music Education from Utah State University and an Associates degree from Ricks College (now BYU-I). While attending Ricks College, she won the concerto competition and subsequently performed with the University Orchestra. She was a member of both the Granite Junior Youth Symphony and the Granite Youth Symphony. She served as principal flute of the West Valley Symphony of Utah for 10 years where she was also a member of the board as the volunteer coordinator and grant writer. In addition to playing with the Bountiful Philharmonia she also plays with the Mountain West Flute Orchestra, Flautissimo, and the Utah State University Alumni Band. She is a member of the Utah Flute Association and the National Flute Association. Her teachers include Gaye Platt, Patricia George, Leslie Timmons, and Jeiran Hasan.