MEET THE CONDUCTORS
Our team of music educators at North Idaho Youth Symphonies work hard in order to produce a quality musical experience for our musicians and compelling performances for all.
Director of Philharmonic
Director of Intermezzo
Director of Debut
MICHAEL HARRISON
Director of Philharmonic Orchestra
Michael Harrison is an experienced and passionate musician with a varied background as performer, educator and clinician. Mr. Harrison currently serves as the Director of Instrumental Music at the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy in Northern Idaho where he teaches middle and high school concert band, orchestra and jazz band. Mr. Harrison received his Bachelors degree in Music Education and Trumpet Performance in 2003 from the University of Arizona in Tucson and a Masters degree in conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University. Mr. Harrison previously taught band for 7 years at Utterback Middle School for the Performing Arts in Tucson, Arizona. While in Tucson, he also served as Director of the Tucson Jazzwerx, a community jazz outreach program, and Assistant Director for the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra.
An accomplished performer and trumpeter, Mr. Harrison has appeared throughout the U.S., Canada and Japan and was featured on the 2009 & 2010 Jerry Lewis MDA National Telethon with the Arizona Roadrunners ‘Jass’ band. His performance experiences are diverse and include the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Disney College All-Star Band, and numerous touring Broadway productions.
 |  |  |  |
|---|
SHAD FRAZIER
Director of Intermezzo String Orchestra
Shad Frazier has a Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Idaho and is currently the Instrumental Music Director at Lake City High School. He has taught band and orchestra since 2012 and his primary instrument is saxophone. He is a Chief Warrant Officer 2 in the Idaho Army National Guard and has been the Commander of the 25th Army Band since 2018. He enlisted in 2009.
He married his wife, Allison in 2010 and they have two sons. They live in Kingston, ID with their two dogs.
 |  |  |  |
|---|
KRISTINA PHILLIPS
Director of Debut String Orchestra
The 2022-23 season marks Kristina Phillips 16th year with the NIYS. She received her Bachelors of Music Education from Pacific Lutheran University and received her Masters Degree from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University. She has taught band and orchestra in the public schools in Tacoma, Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. Currently, Kristina is the 5th grade Strings teachers in the Coeur d’Alene School District. Kristina is principal bassist with the Coeur d’Alene Symphony, has served as principal cellist of the Coeur d’Alene Symphony, and is a regular performer with Opera Coeur d’Alene and the Lake City String Quartet. She also maintains a large private teaching studio in Coeur d’Alene. She and her husband Jim live in Coeur d’Alene with their four children.
 |  |  |  |
|---|