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The Saltaires Adds Steve Scott as New Artistic Director to Directorship Team
Salt Lake City, UT – November 21, 2024 –
The Saltaires are thrilled to announce the addition of Steve Scott as Artistic Director to their esteemed Director Team. This
strategic appointment aims to increase the artistic impact and community engagement of the chorus throughout the Wasatch Front and beyond. Steve joins Adam Haggart, our accomplished Music Director, in leading the Saltaires into an exciting new era.
Steve comes with an extensive background in choral singing excellence. Mostly recently the Assistant Director and Primary Vocal Coach of the 2022 BHS International Chorus Champions, the Music City Chorus, Steve’s signature approach to vocal production and exciting singing has inspired ensembles and thrilled audiences around the world. Steve is also an active Singing judge, a busy coach, and a frequent guest clinician and teacher at harmony colleges around the world.
“We are elated to have Steve join Adam on the Director Team,” said Taylor Fugate, Saltaires President. “Their vision for the
artistic growth of the Saltaires and the impact in the choral community in the Wasatch Front aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver exceptional choral performances while fostering a deeper connection with our audiences through music and service. A new era of elevated harmony is here, and we can’t wait.”
“I’m beyond excited to have Steve on our directing team! His experience with vocal pedagogy and directing will have an
immediate positive impact on the chorus and organization. It truly is a great time to be a Saltaire and we can’t wait to show the world what we have planned!” said Adam Haggart.
Under this new Director Team, the Saltaires plan to:
- Expand Repertoire: Introduce new pieces that blend traditional men’s chorus music with contemporary and diverse
selections, while maintaining our barbershop heritage. - Enhance Community Outreach: Increase participation in local events and educational programs to bring choral and
barbershop music to a broader audience.
- Innovate Singing and Performance Techniques: Utilize evidence-based approaches and innovative staging to elevate the overall concert experience.
Steve stated, “I am honored to join the Saltaires and look forward to working alongside the talented members and unite with Adam to usher the chorus into a new era. Our goal is to not only entertain but to inspire and engage our community through the power of music.”
The Saltaires have been a staple throughout the Wasatch Front choral scene since 1989 and are known for their commitment to musical excellence and community involvement. With the addition of Steve, the Saltaires are poised for a period of artistic growth and heightened community engagement. The Saltaires invite all men in the Wasatch Front to come join the brotherhood in harmony. Information on how to attend a rehearsal found here: saltaires.org/membership.
The Saltaires are a 501c3 charitable organization and would love to have your support. For more information about giving to the Saltaires, upcoming events, or how to join, please visit saltaires.org or email us at [email protected].
The Saltaires were founded in 1989, and are celebrating over 35+ years of singing barbershop throughout the
Wasatch Front and competing on the international stage.
Over the past three decades the Saltaires have developed a tradition of presenting the finest in men’s a cappella singing within the Rocky Mountain region. From entertaining our enthusiastic audiences in our well-known four part barbershop style, to our collaborations with The Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall, Snowbird, and Deer Valley, we have performed at festivals in the historic Salt Lake Tabernacle, LDS Conference Center, Assembly Hall on Temple Square as well as Brigham Young Park. We have also performed at regional venues from Zions National Park in Southern Utah to The Ellen Eccles Theater in Logan.
Over the past two decades we have achieved perennial top ten finishes in the international Barbershop Harmony Society contests competing with over 300 choruses from all over the world. We strive for perfecting our craft and improving our performance, singing, and audience engagement.
We are proud to have been officially named “Cultural Ambassadors of the State of Utah” by the Governor and received the prestigious Governor’s Mansion Artist Award.
Not only are is our chorus in the history books with the Governor’s Mansion Artist Award, we continued the relationship we have with Utah Governors by having July 1-6 officially been declared Barbershop Harmony Week in Utah. This was declared by Governor Jon Huntsman in 2005 when the international convention took place in Salt Lake City. Pictured below, Governor Huntsman is seated along with representatives of the Barbershop Harmony Society. When the international convention came back to Salt Lake City in 2019 one of our quartets paid Governor Herbert a visit, sang a song, and had the proclamation signed again.
Director Adam Haggart
Adam’s first experience with barbershop took place when a quartet from the Saltaires came to his high school in 1996 and sang for the choir there. He and a few friends were invited to a Saltaires rehearsal the next evening, and Adam promptly caught the barbershop bug and has never looked back. Adam has sung with and directed other barbershop choruses over the years, but he grew up with the Saltaires and considers them “home.”In 2022, Adam assumed the role of Musical Director and led the chorus to an BHS international qualification. He is a three-time district quartet gold medalist and currently sings lead with Mischief, the 2022 Rocky Mountain District Quartet Champions. Haggart has been a studio vocalist, soloist, and featured performer across the western U.S. for the last 25 years. He works as a sales manager for an insurance agency and resides in Lehi, UT with his wife, Rachelle. When he’s not doing music, Adam is a stalwart Lakers/Dodgers fan and likes to spend time with his three children.
Artistic Director Steve Scott
Steve Scott is a music educator for the Barbershop Harmony Society where he created and curates educational materiel and music collections. A barbershopper for over thirty years, Steve taught voice and choir at the college level before joining the BHS staff. His research interests include the biophysiology of the singing voice, acoustics, and barbershop history. He is a certified Singing judge, a frequent faculty member for harmony colleges around the world where he teaches voice techniques and vocal pedagogy and is a clinician, voice teacher, and coach. Steve serves as the principal vocal coach of the 2022 international champion chorus, the Music City Chorus, in Nashville, TN, and was recently appointed Artistic Director of the Saltaires men’s chorus in Salt Lake City, UT in December 2024. He enjoys traveling and exploring the world with his wife and two children when not doing music.
Chorus Leadership
We express gratitude to the following chorus members for their service and leadership:
- President: Taylor Fugate
- VP Membership: Mike Gourley
- VP Music and Performance: Lars Peterson
- VP Marketing: Taylor Fugate
- Chorus Manager: Spencer Valentine
- Secretary: Brian Bean
- Treasurer: Scott Perkins
- Board member at large: Wes Brown
- Immediate Past President: Mark Andromidas
- Tenor section leader: Elie Diaz
- Lead section leader: Mark Andromidas
- Baritone section leader: Niel Westover
- Bass section leader: Grant Goulding
- Website: Taylor Fugate
American Prepatory Academy is a partner of the Saltaires.
For over 20 years, American Prepatory Schools has served Utah as a tuition-free college preparatory school focused on delivering the best education possible to students all over Utah. To learn more about APA, click here.