Dr. Neil Harmon

Dr. Neil Harmon joined the organ faculty at Brigham Young University in September 2018. Prior to his move to BYU he served as Organist and Director of Music at Grace United Methodist Church in Wilmington, Delaware for 19 years. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from BYU and Masters and Doctoral degrees from The Eastman School of Music. A widely published composer, Dr. Harmon is known throughout the country for his creative and accessible handbell, choral, and organ compositions.

Nora Hess

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Nora Hess, CAGO, MM, MS, is an adjunct faculty member in organ at Brigham Young University. Her research specialty is teaching and developing curriculum so elementary-aged children can learn the organ as their first instrument, without any prior music training. She loves to teach students of all levels and ages, and has been teaching for many years.

Nora also enjoys composing and performing music, and has had the opportunity to perform solos on some famous historic organs in France and Germany. She is currently completing the process to become a performing guest organist on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Nora also serves as a choir conductor, and has conducted and accompanied many choirs and soloists throughout her career. A choral singer herself, she served for 10 years as a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, and was the organist for the Utah Baroque Ensemble from 2016-2018.

Nora has earned the Colleague Certificate from the American Guild of Organists, and holds a Master of Music degree from Brigham Young University in Organ Performance, where she studied with Don Cook and Brian Mathias. She also holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Utah. She is married, and is the mother of 10 children and 12 grandchildren.

Sharee Thompson

Sharee Thompson holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor of Music degree from Utah State University, both in organ performance.  While living in Kansas, she served as organist at First Presbyterian Church, Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church, and Baldwin First United Methodist Church. Sharee performs with various choirs and ensembles along the Wasatch Front including Vox Humana Choral Ensemble, The Utah Symphony, Sterling Singers, Utah Valley Millennial Choirs and Orchestras, and Maple Mountain High School Choirs.  She is a guest organist on Temple Square, playing frequently for the daily organ recitals. Sharee runs a large private studio of organ and piano students and is the organ area executive assistant at BYU.  She and her husband, Matthew, are the parents of three children.