Dr. Paul Abegg - Concertmaster 1st Violin / 1st Chair
Is Assistant Professor of Violin at Dixie State College where he is Director of Orchestras and Head of String Studies. Previous positions include Brigham Young University and Olivet College(MI) His summers are spent teaching at the New England Music Camp(ME). He holds degrees from Michigan State and Brigham Young Universities. Dr. Abegg has presented master classes at Eastern Washington University, Whitworth College, Western Kentucky University, Utah Valley State College, and Brigham Young University Idaho and served as an adjudicator at numerous competitions and festivals in Arizona, Maine, Michigan, Utah, and Washington. His students have won awards and have graduated to attend prestigious music schools. As concertmaster of the Southwest Symphony he brings the experience of playing with Lansing, Utah, Ballet West, Kalamazoo, Phoenix, and Spokane Symphonies. Last year he performed on the Northwest Bach Festival under the direction of Gunther Schuller. Dr. Abegg continues to perform frequently with the Orchestra at Temple Square.
 

Bonnie Romkey - Associate Concertmaster 1st Violin /2nd Chair
Bonnie began playing at age 3, and has studied under many prolific instructors including Percy Kalt. She accepted a full scholarship from the BYU music department graduating in 1996. She has played in over thirty quartets, trios and orchestras soloing on nine occasions. Bonnie moved to St. George in 2002. She and her husband Jamie run a thriving private music studio.

Toni Winder - 2nd Violin / 1st Chair
Toni received formal instruction from Barbara Williams, Percy Kalt, and Bruce Berg. She was Concertmaster of the Utah Valley Youth Symphony, and toured with the elite BYU Chamber Orchestra. Toni maintains a private teaching studio of up to forty students. She wishes to extend a thank you to her husband Randy and children Josh, Annie, Elly, and Luke for their enduring love and support.

Vicki Andrus - Viola / 1st Chair
Victoria Andrus holds a Bachelor degree in music education and violin and viola performance from Southern Utah University. She was a student of the late Dr. Percy Kalt for 7 years. Victoria was the recipient of the prestigious SUU Thunderbird award in 2000, Outstanding Studio Award, and Performer of the Year. Victoria and her husband, guitarist Sherman Andrus, operate the Andrus Performance Studio in St George, Mesquite, and Cedar City.
 

Tracie Price - Cello / 1st Chair
Tracie earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Utah and her Master of Music degree in cello performance from the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music. She co-founded and served as the Artistic Director of the Colorado Britten Society. Tracie is also co-founder and Director of the Black Glove Cello Festival, held each summer at Dixie State College. She is an adjunct cello instructor at DSC and SUU.
 

Denise Jones - Bass / 1st Chair
At age 10, Denise became the youngest member of the Mormon Youth Symphony, a position she held until 1980 when she left to get married. In January of 1983 she joined the Southwest Symphony, becoming its principal bass player in 1986. Deni is the mother of 3 daughters, 1 son, and the grandmother of 2 boys.
 

Ami Porter - Flute / 1st Chair For Ami Porter, piano and flute lessons, to symphonic and marching bands, to solo and ensembles, even appearing as a youth soloist with the Southwest Symphony in 1993, music has played an important part in her life. The past 13 years Ami has been a member of the Symphony's flute section. She and her husband, Steve, are the parents of Kathryn, Emma, Abbey, Eldon, Lydia and Jarron.
 

Rhonda Rhodes - Oboe / 1st Chair Rhonda began teaching music in 1987. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Utah State University, a Masters of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting from Northern Arizona University and is working on her doctorate. She now teaches band at Lava Ridge Intermediate School and is an adjunct woodwind teacher at DSC. She is an active member of the Utah Music Educators Association and Music Educators National Conference.
 

Virginia Stitt - English Horn 1st Chair / Asst. Conductor Dr. Virginia K. Stitt holds a Doctorate in Music Arts from the University of Iowa, a Master of Music in Woodwinds from Michigan State University, a Master of Arts in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Illinois. She has worked in music education across the U.S., as well as in Canada. She has performed in Japan, Canada and the U.S. and currently teaches at SUU.
 

Kendra Graf - French Horn / 1st Chair Kendra was born and raised in the foothills of the Colorado mountains. She studied horn with Kristin Jurkscheit of the Colorado Symphony and Robert Danforth of the Indianapolis Symphony. In 2006 she graduated Summa Cum Laude from DePauw University with a Bachelor's degree in music education. After graduating, Kendra moved to Mesquite, Nevada, where she is now the band and orchestra director at Virgin Valley High School. This is Kendra's second year with the Southwest Symphony.
 

Carolyn Johnston - Bassoon / 1st Chair Carolyn Johnston has been principal bassoon and a member of the Southwest Symphony for over 20 years. She has served as Director of Bands at Dixie High and Director of Choirs and Orchestra at Dixie Middle School. She is married to Greg Johnston, a member of the Southwest Symphony for 17 years. They are the parents of Kevin and Katie.
 

Melissa Bennion - Clarinet / 1st Chair Melissa Bennion began playing clarinet in the fifth grade. She is currently in her sixth season as principal clarinetist for the SWSO. Melissa has soloed twice with the SWSO and once with the DSC Band. She has studied under Dr. Nick Morrison of Utah State University and Dr. Mike Dean of SUU. Melissa and her husband, Karl-Erik Bennion, have three children: Sam, Rachel, and Jared. She appreciates their loving support.
 

Ed Robbins - Trumpet / 1st Chair Ed is in his second year with the Southwest Symphony. After touring with the Northern Wasatch Youth Symphony in high school and performing with the Philharmonic Orchestra at BYU, Ed opted for law school and a career that eventually brought him to Southern Utah. Ed returned to music as a major life-hobby and has since completed half of a music degree at DSC. He hopes to complete the other half as soon as it is offered.
 

Dallas Beck - Trombone / 1st Chair Dallas moved to St. George with his wife Jerrolyn in 2001 upon retiring from teaching instrumental music throughout Michigan, Washington, and Idaho. Dallas is starting his fourth season with the Southwest Symphony. He also plays with the DSC Band, the Heritage Brass, the Wynn Seegmiller Band, the Tuacahn Pit Orchestra. He graduated with a Bachelor and a Master of Instrumental Music Degrees from the University of Michigan
 

Jim Brickey - Tuba / 1st Chair Jim was born in San Diego, CA and graduated from San Diego State University and earned his Masters from Utah State University. He retired from teaching music in 2006 after receiving many awards including "Educator of the Year" by the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce in 1997. He played the tuba for the San Diego Youth Symphony, the San Diego Symphony and for 23 years in the SWSO. He and his wife Elaine, a Southwest Symphony horn player, have 8 children and 12 grandchildren.
 

Kirk Sharp - Timpani Percussion / 1st Chair Kirk Sharp is nationally known as a percussion soloist and clinician. He studied with many of the world's finest teachers including Cloyd Duff, "The Dean of Timpanists." He has a long list of premiere performances to his credit and composers often write especially for him because of his prodigious technical and interpretive talents. He is best known for refreshing repertoire of the experimental school and probing performances of standard literature.