Teachers

Mrs. Kirsten Candland

With her MEd from the University of Utah, Kirsten began her public school teaching orchestra in Jordan School District at Bingham Middle School.  She has taught in Washington County School District for the past 33 years, beginning with Pine View Middle and High Schools. She currently teaches elementary through 7th grade at Sunrise Ridge Intermediate, and 8th-12th grade at Desert Hills Middle and Desert Hills High School.  As a member of Utah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra, Mormon Youth Symphony, and the Rocky Mountain Youth Camerata, she has studied violin with Dennis Hansen, John Chatelain, Lawrence Sardoni, and Lynnette Stewart.  She is married to Ed Candland,  former band and orchestra teacher, and owner of Ed Candland Bow Rehair, and they have three musical children.  As a certified Suzuki violin teacher, she maintains a private studio.  She hosts the SAU Southern Utah annual graduation and the Orchestra portion of the Southern Utah String Festival. Currently she helps direct Zion Youth Symphony Orchestra and is president of Utah ASTA.  She loves the discipline, confidence, and community that music provides students.

Ms. Sophie Wilkes

Sophie Wilkes attends Desert Hills Middle School and maintains a private violin studio. She currently studies violin and viola with Kirsten Candland, violin with Jenny Oaks Baker and viola with Jason Bonham. Sophie began playing violin with Kristy Duncan when she was 5 years old. This year, Sophie was concertmaster for the Utah All-State Junior High Orchestra. She was a finalist and division winner for the Southwest Symphony Youth Concerto Competition in 2021, 2022, 2023. She was a finalist and honorable mention winner in the Utah ASTA Solo Competition in 2022. She was selected to perform with the Utah Symphony in the 2023 Salute to Youth Concert. She studies in Utah Tech University's Pre-college Chamber Music Academy. Sophie loves participating in the Zion Youth Symphony Orchestra and has performed as a duet member and soloist in their Concerto Night concerts.