Dr. Neil Harmon
Neil Harmon teaches organ at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and Utah Valley University. Prior to his university teaching in Utah, he worked as full-time Director of Music and Organist at Grace United Methodist Church in Wilmington, Delaware for 19 years.
Dr. Harmon earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Brigham Young University and a Master of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts from The Eastman School of Music.
He enjoys a career as teacher, performer, accompanist, composer, arranger, and conductor. He is known throughout the country for his creative organ arrangements and for his choral and handbell compositions.
Dr. Seth Bott
Seth is a native of Castle Dale, Utah. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ performance at the University of Kansas, where he studied under James Higdon and Michael Bauer. He was appointed to a graduate teaching assistantship, where he taught private lessons and worked closely with the organ faculty to organize and execute organ department business. Before attending the University of Kansas, he received his Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees in organ performance and pedagogy from Brigham Young University, where he studied with Don Cook and Douglas Bush.
Seth is an active recitalist and performs many recitals around the United States every year. He served for many years as a Guest Tabernacle Organist on Temple Square and participated in the daily recital series performed on the famous Mormon Tabernacle Organ. Seth has had an abundance of church music roles in many denominations and is currently serving as Director of Music and Organist at St. James Episcopal Church in Midvale, Utah. His church playing experiences in the LDS Church have afforded him to play for many large and small meetings, with several of them being televised.
In 2009, he took first place in Region IX of the RCYO AGO organ competition for young organists, allowing him to perform at the National AGO Convention in Washington, D.C. in 2010. As a natural teacher with much background, Seth loves to share his passion for music and the organ with others.
Joseph Peeples
Joseph Peeples was called as a Temple Square organist in April 2019, continuing a tradition that stretches back to Utah’s early pioneer days. Prior to his appointment, he held the positions of University Organist at California Lutheran University in his hometown of Thousand Oaks, and Organist at First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara.
Peeples has taught a wide range of courses in music theory, appreciation, and performance at California Lutheran, Pepperdine, Indiana, and Brigham Young universities, and is currently on the faculty of the annual Brigham Young University Organ Workshop. He is a doctoral candidate in organ performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and holds a Master of Music degree in organ performance from Brigham Young University.
Apart from his role on Temple Square, Peeples is a scientific programmer in the optical thin-film industry. He and his wife, Ellen, are proud parents of three sons.
Yevgeniya Jaynes
Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Yevgeniya Jaynes graduated with her BM and MM in organ performance from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, studying with Don Cook and Douglas Bush. She also completed 3 semesters of doctoral studies at Indiana University where she studied with Chris Young.
Yevgeniya is an adjunct faculty member in the organ department at Brigham Young University, as well as an organ teacher in her community. She performs on a regular basis as a guest organist in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
Yevgeniya, her husband Justin, and their 3 children reside in Springville, Utah.