Our Utah Arts Advisory Board is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members, Dr. Samuel Tsugawa from Utah County, representing music, and John Ballard from Salt Lake County, representing theater.
Dr. Samuel Tsugawa is an associate professor of music education at Brigham Young University, boasting a 28-year career in musical education. Samuel holds bachelors and masters of music education degrees from Brigham Young University and a doctor of musical arts degree in music education from Arizona State University. Recognized by his colleagues as an accomplished classroom teacher, Samuel has received state educator of the year honors as Phi Delta Kappa’s Utah Walmart Teacher of the Year. State arts and music education organizations have presented him with the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Legacy Award for Excellence in Arts Education, the Utah High School Activities Association Distinguished Service Award, and music educator of the year honors from the Utah American String Teachers Association and Utah Music Educators Association.
John Ballard is the president of Magic Space Entertainment. John has presented and produced live entertainment events throughout the United States and Canada since finishing college. He has managed and booked Broadway musical subscription series in 23 cities. John managed the Broadway in Utah series at the Capitol Theater and Eccles Theater for 25 years, which presented shows such as “Les Misérables,” “Lion King,” “Wicked,” “Phantom of the Opera,” and “Hamilton.” John has also presented shows on Broadway and in the West End of London. In the 1980s and 90s, he produced U.S. tours of Soviet performers, including the Leningrad Dixieland Jazz Band and the 200-member Red Army Chorus. John started the Education Fund at Broadway in Utah, which supports theater education in Utah high schools and colleges. With Utah Festival Opera, he has underwritten and assisted with production of the Utah High School Musical Theater Awards competition at the Eccles Theater for many years.