Sara

Sara Nelson Penny provides management services for the Orchestra of Southern Utah and has coordinated the annual OSU fall recital series since 1996. She directs the Suzuki Strings program under the auspices of the SUU Music Dept. She established the annual Music Festivals in 1983 which now serve over 1000 students and help fund SUU music scholarships.

Sara has taught private violin and viola lessons for over 30 years. She taught in the SUU Music Dept. before resigning to concentrate on the Suzuki Strings program. She also serves on the Cedar City Arts Council Board.

Her teachers have included Roy L Halversen, Norma Lee Belnap, David Nyman, Edward Shmeider, and Alfred de Reyghere. She has attended numerous workshops with nationally prominent teachers including John Kendall, William Starr, Ronda Cole, and William Preucil. She has brought several professional musicians to Cedar City to work with area string students, including Terry Durbin, Dr. Andrew Galos, Jack Ashton,
and Louise Scott.

Sara has performed in orchestras in Ireland, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah. Her B.A. is from the University of Utah and while in Texas she was a Public Radio Classical Music Announcer. Awards include the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce Award for Outstanding Service to the Arts in 1998 and the Mayor's Award through the Utah Humanities Council in 2000. She currently plays in the viola section of OSU.

Sara and Desmond Penny are the parents of Bridget Lee and Brian Penny, both cellists. That's what happens after years of hearing violins playing "Twinkle".