Dec. 2022 | Vol. 08 Iss. 12
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MAKING MUSIC IN WEST VALLEY CITY By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com
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hey come from different backgrounds and life experiences. Some are teachers, others are active-duty military. There’s a music teacher and a high school student. Stay-athome moms and retirees are also part of the mix. The one thing they have in common? Every one of them plays a musical instrument, loves playing it, and is part of the West Valley Symphony. Surprised West Valley City has a symphony orchestra? You’re not alone. It’s been around since 1991, but not everyone knows about it. The West Valley Symphony is an all-volunteer group numbering about 75 musicians of varying levels of ability and experience. But this medley of music makers from all walks of life is good enough to put on several public concerts a year, including three holiday performances in December, two of which are free. More on that later. Sterling Poulson is chairman of the symphony’s board of directors. “We’re not the Utah Symphony, but we don’t really want to be the Utah Symphony,” he said of the professional orchestra with paid, unionized musicians. “It’s (West Valley Symphony) a great place for people to develop their skills.” His love of music and choral arts spans a good part of his life and eventually led him to earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in music at the University of Utah, the latter degree coming just a couple of years ago. He is also founder and music director of the Choral Arts Society of Utah where he conducts the 100-voice choir in several concerts each year. He fits all that around what he is probably best known for—chief meteorologist at KUTV Channel 2 for more than three decades. Donny Gilbert conducts the West Valley Symphony during a rehearsal at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals) Continued page 9 Eric Kartchner has been the
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