Music Staff
Sterling S. Poulson, Music Director & Founder: Sterling Poulson is the Music Director and Founder of The Choral Arts Society of Utah, and conducts as many as six concerts each year with the 100-voice choir. He was appointed Associate Music Director of the Jay Welch Chorale in 1985, he served under Dr. Jay Welch for eleven years. He was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Choral Arts Society of Utah in December 1996. His career includes guest-conducting performances with the Utah Symphony, West Valley Symphony, the New American Symphony, the Sierra Nevada Master Chorale & Orchestra, the Fillmore Regional Chorus & Orchestra, the South Davis Community Choir & Orchestra, and the Southern Utah Heritage Choir. He has had several guest-conducting appearances with the Utah National Guard’s 23rd Army Band, including a performance of Randall Thompson’s Testament of Freedom in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square. In March 2019, he was a guest conductor at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall. In 1997 He was appointed Music Director of the Days of ’47 Pops Concert held in Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City every July. He has expanded this free concert to a two-night event, and it is one of the more popular summer concerts in Salt Lake City. For 20 years, the Choral Arts Society of Utah has joined forces with the 23rd Army Band to present the Armed Forces Day Concert honoring our men and women serving in uniform. He served two terms on the board of the American Choral Directors Association-Utah Chapter. From 1983 – 2009, he held the position of music reader for the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square’s broadcast Music and the Spoken Word. He earned his Bachelor’s in Choral Music Education from the University of Utah.
Donny Gilbert, Associate Music Director: Donny Gilbert was appointed as the Associate Music Director of the Choral Arts Society of Utah in 2005. He was always surrounded by music, starting with the Trombone in elementary school. After attending Snow College, Donny received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music Composition from the University of Utah, where he was given many opportunities to write and arrange for various ensembles, including the University Wind Symphony, Concert band, Philharmonic Orchestra, Jazz Ensembles 1 and 2 and the University of Utah Marching Band. He has also arranged music for such performers and ensembles as the Utah Symphony and Chorus, Thurl Bailey, Kurt Bestor, Michael Mclean, the Bar-J Wranglers, George Dyer, David Osmond, the Days of 47 Pops Orchestra, and many others. In October of 2008, Donny was named the third Music Director and Conductor of the West Valley Symphony of Utah, succeeding its previous conductor and founder, Steve Baker. He has preserved the enthusiasm and spirit of his predecessor and is taking the orchestra to new heights. His deep understanding of orchestral music brings life and great interpretation of the music for our increasing audience. Donny is also a composer in his own right and the orchestra has performed his works in a few of their concerts. He is also the Associate Music Director of the Choral Arts Society of Utah.
Evelyn Westwood, Assistant Conductor: Evelyn was appointed assistant conductor for the Choral Arts Society of Utah in January 2016, continuing to expand her music career. She also serves as the section lead for the Sopranos. In August 2019, Evelyn had the opportunity to guest conduct the Utah Symphony in concert at the Deer Valley Music Festival. Born in Murray, Utah, Evelyn Westwood began her music studies at age six with piano lessons from Margaret Slack. At the age of 10, she joined an after-school choir under the direction of Clay Petersen. Evelyn sang in choirs throughout her school years, including with the Concert Choir and Madrigals at Granger High School, under the direction of Norman Wendell. She studied piano with Adele Larsen and began teaching piano at the Granger Music Store during her senior year of high school. After graduating from Granger High School, she opened her studio, where she earned enough to enroll at the University of Utah, studying music theory and harmony, and singing in the chamber choir. Evelyn married Neal J. Westwood, an Air Force man, and traveled the world. They eventually moved back to Utah where they finished raising their 6 children, and now have 13 beautiful grandchildren. In 1988 Evelyn opened a music studio and resumed her piano teaching career. She is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) through the Music Teachers Association, where she served as president of the Jordan River Chapter, and where she currently serves as historian. She is also a member of the Utah Federation of Music Clubs – Salt Lake West, where she serves as Hymn Festival Chair. Evelyn performed in many choral groups, including the Utah Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Ed Thompson, Brady Allred, and Suzanne Sheston, “We Also Sing,” directed by Marilee Webb, and she joined the Choral Arts Society of Utah in 2011. Much of her training in conducting came through her membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where she conducted ward, stake, and regional choirs, children’s choirs, and youth stake and regional choirs. For 17 years she attended the annual Church Music Workshop at BYU, and she served as the Stake Music Chair for the Bennion East Stake for over 10 years, overseeing several large music productions, hymn-singing firesides, and other activities. She continues serving in ward music positions in the Bennion Ward and the Legacy Branch.
Misty Monsen, Accompanist: Misty Monsen is a professional pianist based in Utah. She currently serves as the chief accompanist for The Choral Arts Society of Utah under the direction of Sterling Poulson. Graduating with a degree in Piano Performance from the University of Utah, Misty has honed her craft to deliver exceptional musical experiences. While at the University of Utah, Misty studied under the tutelage of Susan Duhelmeier and Lenora Ford Brown. She is also the pianist for a large Interfaith Choir in the Salt Lake Valley. Misty learned at a young age to be an accomplished, technical accompanist under the direction of Jay Welch and has performed many times at the Tabernacle on Temple Square. Misty actively conducts two youth choirs and an adult Christmas choir. She has a gift for arranging music and does it both for her choirs and her many solo performances each year. One of her greatest passions is teaching a few gifted students out of her home studio each week. She is a proficient guitarist and is also learning to play the violin. Beyond her professional accolades, Misty takes great pride in her family. She has four married children and two still living at home. She also has 7 grandchildren. Her family is her greatest gift. Misty and her husband, Brian reside in Sandy, Utah.
