Meet your directors and staff
Principal Choir & Orchestra Director: Jaron Packer has a BMA degree in Choral Conducting from Weber State University and a Masters in Religious Education from BYU. He has directed multiple choirs over the past 15 years including children, youth, young adult and adult choirs. He directed the evening Institute Choir at Weber State for two years. Most recently he was the director of North Front Sound, a barbershop chorus in Davis County. He has taught private lessons for over 20 years. He taught Seminary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for nine years. His most cherished choral experience was directing President Nelson's 364 voice Seminary Choir for the 2018 Worldwide Devotional. He learned the power that young voices with faithful hearts can have on the world. Ever since that event, it has been his dream to start this choir. The time is now!
Associate Choir Director: Amy Garner Cropper has a BMA degree in Choral Education from Utah State University. Over the last 15 years, Amy has directed a variety of choirs including children’s choirs, high school choirs, adult community and church choirs. She was an assistant director for the Cache Valley Children's choir. For the last 12 years, Amy has taught both private and group music lessons and currently teaches classes at Davis Music Academy. She also enjoys performing as a member of SolAria, a local women’s vocal group. One of her favorite things to do is to sing and record music with her husband Kyle. (Click here for an adorable and beautiful video of her and Kyle singing.) Amy loves working with children and youth, and especially finds joy in praising God through music.
Our Story
I was in the middle of teaching my 3rd year of middle school and high school music in a small town in Idaho when our three-year-old son was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that would eventually change our lives forever. For the next year and half I continued to teach while traveling down to Primary Children's Hospital every weekend for an 8-hour treatment for my son. After a time, we realized that we needed to move closer to Salt Lake City, as he would need this treatment for the rest of his life. For some reason, my wife and I both felt strongly that I was not supposed to teach public school music anymore. I had to let go of my dream job, in a dream location, with the most wonderful people.
It was an amazing blessing and a miracle that I was hired as a seminary teacher for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Four years into my career as a seminary teacher, I was asked to take an assignment as the Choir Director for the Weber State Institute. This was a dream come true. During that time, I was also asked to direct President Nelson's 364 voice Hope of Israel Choir in 2018. This was the highlight of my seminary and choral conducting career. I knew at that point, if there were ever a chance to teach choir for the Church full time, I would take it.
I asked the Institute administration what would be required of me to do this full time, and was told I needed a Master's degree. So, I got one. :) After finishing my Master's degree at BYU in Religious Education, I was asked if I was ready to take over the choir. During that time, a job came up at Church Headquarters as a music publisher. At first, I thought nothing of it, but then it wouldn't leave my mind and heart. Could I possibly leave my dream job again, but this time for a desk job? My wife and I both felt strongly that we should, so I applied and got the job. I love my job as a music publisher! I have the opportunity to work on the new hymnbook and the youth music daily. It is incredible!
However, the hope, dream, and desire to conduct a youth Christian choir never left me. Due to a turn of events in my family's life, now is the time! I am so excited! For five years, I had been anticipating this day. My wife and I knew that we would need to surround ourselves with good people that would make this what it needed to be. We both felt that if we started building it, those people would come. ("Field of Dreams"?)
Sure enough, we put ourselves out there, and within 10 days the Lord sent the most incredible people into my life. Amy approached me with a burning desire to help in this work. Together we have the vision, the skillset, and the love in our hearts needed to help move this forward.
Again, if you love Jesus and have a desire to express that love through song, then come join us! We invite all, from any Faith to join in song to praise our Lord and Savior through powerful music! We may start small, but we will grow into a powerful force that will make a lasting impact. - Jaron Packer