Creative Arts Team

Koreen Hansen grew up in Highland and attended American Fork Junior High and High School. She spent her college years at Dixie College. Although her first love was sports, she has also enjoyed attending the theater throughout her life. When her daughters started participating in Timpanogos Youth Theater (formerly American Fork Youth Theater), Koreen gave up her dream of being their coach on a sports team and instead became the program manager and co-producer for TimpYT. She loves her association with the staff, participants and parents that have been involved in the program. She considers them her TimpYT family. She has been involved with Timpanogos Youth Theater for 10 years and credits the amazing staff, talented kids and awesome parent volunteers with the success of this program.

Ryan says he is excited for the opportunity to lead the TAF choirs once again. As a director for ten years, Ryan oversaw the transition of American Fork Children’s Choir into Timpanogos Youth Choirs.  He has also organized and directed adult choirs, ukulele groups, and handbell/brass/flute choirs under TAF and in the community, as well as produced and directed Utah’s first ukulele festival for ten years, now starting a new Fall ukulele festival with TAF. Ryan has degrees in vocal performance and composition from BYU, and has produced many concerts in the community, as well as two staged shows, The Other Wise Man and The Legends of Sleepy Hollow (Radio Show version) for which he wrote the music. As a performer he has sung with many choirs (including Cantorum, Phoenix Rising, Voyces, and BYU Concert Choir with Mack Wilberg where he was a baritone soloist on the album All Creatures of Our God and King), performed in a number of musical and operatic productions, as well as at many solo engagements. As a composer, his opera ABINADI was performed, recorded and broadcast by BYU on KBYU & BYUTV. In addition, he has written and published dozens of works for choir and voice, and continues to be active in producing new compositions and arrangements. Aside from writing many things specifically for the Timpanogos Youth Choirs, he also arranged an overture for TAF’s 1st Americana Festival that included all the musical groups under its umbrella at that time. Ryan has served for over thirty years as a Ward Choir Director, Stake Choir Director or Ward Organist at his church and currently lives with his angel wife Dixie and creative son Taavi in American Fork.

Growing up in Pleasant Grove Utah, Kristi was surrounded by and had an interest in music beginning at a very young age. At age 4 her music lessons began at the piano and at age 8 the violin was added. As a youth, Kristi performed with her Elementary, Jr. High, and High School orchestras. She also played with “The Pageant of The Arts Youth Orchestra” under the direction of Conrad Dunn. Kristi spent her college years at UVU and was determined to keep her violin opportunities alive. Over the years she has played with The West Valley Symphony as principal 2^nd violinist, with the Salt Lake Symphony, Utah Valley Civic Orchestra, and is currently playing with the American Fork Symphony as principal 2^nd violinist. She has had many opportunities to play the violin and is thankful for the experiences that music has given her.  A couple memorable ones were, being a member of a Beetles tribute band and playing with the Bar J Wranglers on their Christmas Tour.  She was honored to be asked to play in a benefit concert for “Adoption Awareness Month” at the Salt Lake City Tabernacle. Adoption is near and dear to her heart. Kristi has been playing with the American Fork Symphony for over 15 years. She has served on the symphony team for 4 years and is currently serving as the American Fork Symphony Program Manager.