Horn 1

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Jonathan Snyder is a freelance horn player and instructor of theory at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who earned his doctorate (DMA) at UNLV under the direction of Professor Bill Bernatis. He completed his Master of Music in Horn Performance at the University of California, Santa Barbara. At California Lutheran University, Jonathan received his Bachelor of Arts in Music in both Horn Performance and Music Composition. 

He has performed with the Tournament of Roses Honor Band (2000), Topanga Symphony, Santa Barbara Master Chorale, Santa Maria Philharmonic, Colburn Wind Ensemble, Gold Coast Wind Ensemble, Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra, Desert Winds, for the Rubicon Theater’s production of West Side Story, and for various university ensembles. He has performed internationally at Hornclass in Prague and has toured with the Kirkkonummi Chamber Orchestra of Finland. Currently, Jonathan performs with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Southern Nevada Symphony, Nevada Chamber Orchestra, and was a founding member of the Red Rock Wind Quintet. He also released a CD in 2019.

As a composer, Jonathan was a recipient of the 2012-2013 Sherrill C. Corwin Metropolitan Theater Award for his revised edition of “The Last Hope” for orchestra. He continues to actively compose arrangements for the High Desert Horns, the UNLV Horn Studio, and for the Red Rock Wind Quintet. His arrangements for horn ensembles have also been performed in the Czech Republic and throughout the United States.

Principal Bassoon

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Liz Valvano, bassoonist, received her Doctor of  Musical Arts in bassoon performance from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, studying with Dr. Janis McKay. She completed her master’s in music, woodwind performance specializing in the double reed instruments, at Texas State University,  under the tutelage of Daris Hale and Dr. Ian Davidson, and her Bachelor of Arts in music and chemistry at Hollins University with Danny Felty of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. Currently, Liz is serving on the woodwind faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, leading the esteemed bassoon
studio.
With performances from Reno, Nevada, to Budapest, Hungary, music omnivore Liz has maintained a consistent performing career since falling in love with the double reed instruments as a young musician. While in residence in Las Vegas, she performs with local ensembles, including the Nevada Chamber Orchestra and The Desert Winds, as well as UNLV’s resident Red Rock Wind Quintet. She is honored to substitute in the Las Vegas
Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the Reno Pops Orchestra. Liz’s doctoral research is in Baroque performance and aesthetic, about which she created an accessible method book for the modern bassoonist to learn how to play the baroque instrument. As a lecturer, she teaches introductory music classes for non-majors at UNLV.

Principal Clarinet

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Las Vegas musician Dr. Lindsey N. O’Connor is the Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at Southern Utah University and the College of Southern Nevada, the Woodwinds Paraprofessional for both Clark County School District and Faith Conservatory of the Fine Arts, the Director of Woodwinds for the Las Vegas Youth Orchestras, and the Artistic Director of the Las Vegas Youth Saxophone Ensembles. As a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM), she maintains a private woodwind and piano studio of more than fifty students at Family Music Centers Academy, Nevada’s largest private music teaching institution. O’Connor was previously on faculty at Union College and was a Band Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
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O'Connor is the Vice President - Social Media/Publicity and Woodwind Chair of the Nevada Music Teachers Association. As an educator, she frequently serves as an adjudicator and clinician for the Nevada Music Educators Association, Southern Nevada Band Association, and Las Vegas Music Teachers Association. An active member of the North American Saxophone Alliance since 2003, O'Connor has given master classes, lectured on “The Music of Benjamin Boone,” and performed in various solo and chamber settings at several regional and biennial conferences. She has been featured in Pan Pipes (Spring 2020) and The Instrumentalist Magazine (December 2016).
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O’Connor’s performances have been described as “extraordinary” (Mesquite Local News), “flawless” (Walter White, Southern Nevada Symphony Orchestra Co-Concertmaster), and “beautifully played” (Moapa Valley Progress). O’Connor is an active solo artist, as well as soprano saxophonist of the Red Rock Saxophone Quartet and principal clarinetist of the Nevada Chamber Orchestra. She has been a saxophonist with the Henderson Symphony Orchestra and has played in musical productions on the Las Vegas Strip including Jesus Christ Superstar at the Tropicana and Guys and Dolls at the Westgate. O'Connor performed Marcello's "Concerto” for oboe [or soprano saxophone] with the Southern Nevada Symphony Orchestra, Russell Peterson’s “…Who Needs Enemies?” for saxophone quartet and wind orchestra at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the North American premiere of Jun Nagao’s “Die Heldenzeit” for alto saxophone and wind orchestra with the Desert Winds, and Henri Tomasi’s “Ballade” for alto saxophone with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Symphony Orchestra as a Graduate Solo Competition Winner. An advocate for new music, she has premiered solo and chamber works by Krista Abrahamson, Daniel Dorff, Garrett Hope, Kincaid Rabb, and David Von Kampen.
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O'Connor's research is focused on the life and works of David C. Heath, British composer and flutist currently residing in Scotland. Her dissertation, "A Performer’s Guide to and Analysis of David Heath’s Out of the Cool, Rumania, and Coltrane," is the first and only academic document on Heath, making her the foremost scholar of both him and his music.
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O’Connor received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Saxophone Performance cum laude from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance magna cum laude from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance cum laude from Michigan State University. Her primary teachers include John Bailey, Phillip Barham, Paul Haar, Joseph Lulloff, and Diego Rivera; she has also performed in solo master classes for Claude Delangle, Jean-Yves Fourmeau, Ellis Marsalis, Bennie Wallace, and Walt Weiskopf. O'Connor's professional memberships include the American Federation of Musicians, College Music Society, International Clarinet Association, Music Teachers National Association, North American Saxophone Alliance, Pi Kappa Lambda (ΠΚΛ) National Music Honor Society, and Sigma Alpha Iota (ΣΑΙ) International Music Fraternity. She is the President of the Sigma Alpha Iota Las Vegas Alumnae Chapter and founding director of both the Las Vegas Saxophone Day and Las Vegas Clarinet Day.
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O’Connor is a Vandoren Artist-Clinician and performs exclusively on Vandoren and Yamaha products. She is also an endorsing artist for Meridian Winds’ Center Brace Resonance Weights and Ergonomic Heavy Mass Saxophone Neck Screws

Gerald Reid, a multifaceted individual, has seamlessly woven his passion for music into a rich tapestry of experience that spans culinary arts, music education, and the orchestral realm. Born out of a belief in the therapeutic power of music, Gerald's journey has been marked by decades of dedicated service and a commitment to nurturing both minds and souls.

After an illustrious career spanning almost two decades as a culinary professional at Carnation Main Street Disneyland, Gerald embarked on a new chapter focused on his musical pursuits. In Las Vegas, Nevada, he became a pioneer in creating and developing string orchestra music programs within the Clark County School District, contributing significantly to the cultural and educational landscape.

Gerald's understanding of music evolved beyond its artistic expression to recognize its profound impact on mental well-being. Believing in the therapeutic potential of music across social, mental, and physiological dimensions, he initiated performances for public enjoyment since his high school days. Having dedicated an impressive 32 years to the Clark County School District, Gerald chose to
continue his teaching journey at the Nevada Arts Academy, and Nevada Music Academy both private institutions in Las Vegas. His commitment to music education extends beyond borders, as evidenced by his active role as a member and manager of the Rome Festival Orchestra in Rome, Italy, since 2001. In his ongoing pursuit of musical excellence, Gerald is presently contributing to the development of the nonprofit Nevada Chamber Orchestra in Las Vegas, further solidifying his dedication to
fostering musical appreciation within his community. Gerald's academic

achievements mirror his diverse professional journey. He holds a Master's in Education with an emphasis on leadership from Nova University, a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a Bachelor's in Music Education from Chapman University in Orange, California. His academic journey also includes an Associate of Arts from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, and completion of studies for a Master of Music in Education from UNLV (no Comps) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gerald Reid stands not only as a seasoned educator but as a passionate advocate for the transformative power of music, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of education and orchestral artistry.