Studying with faculty from the Departments of Dance, Music, and Theatre and Film, the members of these performing ensembles are selected through rigorous auditions and are professionally trained to provide quality programs in the performing arts.

Performing Arts Management
OLVH, PO Box 28500
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602-8500

Telephone: (801) 422-3576;
Toll-free number: 1-800-432-3576;
FAX: (801) 422-0546; perform@byu.edu

For further information on presenting a performance of one of these ensembles view our Presenter's Guide.

For information on joining one of BYU's touring performing ensembles, contact either the BYU Department of Dance (for the Ballroom Dance Company, Folk Dance Ensemble, Theatre Ballet, or The Contemporary Dance Theatre); the BYU Department of Theatre (for the Young Company), or the BYU School of Music (for all other touring ensembles).

Director

Edward L. Blaser Assistant: Carlos Madrid

Edward earned bachelor and master of arts degrees in mass communications from Brigham Young University. The Spokane, Washington, native was raised in Portland, Oregon, and served an LDS mission to Norway. Edward has managed BYU performing group tours to one hundred countries since 1976. He traveled to China in early 1979 to arrange the first BYU performing group tour there. As one of the first Western ensembles to perform in China after diplomatic recognition took place in 1979, Performing Arts Management has sent 26 tours back to establish BYU as the best-known American university in China. In 2012, Performing Arts Management booked 14 tours to 120 cities in 8 countries, with 377 student performers participating. Total worldwide audience was over 180,000, with radio and television coverage estimated to reach more than another 43,450,000. During the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Utah, BYU groups entertained a worldwide audience of three billion during opening ceremonies alone. Edward has served on the International Advisory committee for the Utah Arts Council. As a university student, Blaser toured and performed with the BYU Program Bureau and several choirs. He also founded and performed with the folk band “Rovers,” playing guitar and banjo. While at BYU, he has served as adjunct faculty teaching broadcasting courses in the Department of Communications. Prior to his time at BYU, he worked in radio advertising for Juniper Broadcasting in Oregon. Ed and his wife Lynne are the parents of six children, and have 17 grandchildren.

Assistant Director

Rex L. Barrington Assistant: Tyler Walker

Rex lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah, and has been working at BYU as Assistant Director of Performing Arts Management since 1980. With a Master’s Degree in administrative management and a bachelors degree in accounting, he has worked with most of the BYU performing groups and has traveled to many perts of the world in their behalf. Currently, he is the Artist Manager for the Ballroom Dance Company, Chamber Orchestra, BYU Singers, and Philharmonic Orchestra. Rex is married t othe former Dixie Porter and they are the parents of 7 children ant the happy grandparents of 12 grandchildren. Rex is involved in community service through work with the Boy Scouts of America as well as in a number of church assignments. While at BYU, Rex served as adjunct faculty for Utah Valley State College (now Utah Valley University) teaching in the Office Technology and Administration area. Before coming to BYU he was the administrative and financial manager for a thrift store in Portland, Oregon.

Artist Managers

Jonathon C. Wood Assistant: Tyler Walker

Jonathon has worked at Performing Arts Management for over 12 years. He holds a MBA with an emphasis in Marketing and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a double emphasis of Marketing and International Marketing both earned from the Marriott School of Management. In addition, Jonathon minored in Communications emphasizing advertising and PR at Brigham Young University. He is currently the artist manager for the International Folk Dance Ensemble, Contemporary Dance Theatre, and Wind Symphony. During his time at Performing Arts Management he has managed 31 tours to 30 countries and 22 states for 6 of BYU’s performing groups including the International Folk Dance Ensemble, Contemporary Dance Theatre, Wind Symphony, Ballroom Dance Company, University Singers, and Chamber Orchestra. He has also worked with all 16 performing groups booking several hundred regional performances. He represents the BYU performing groups as a member of the Western Arts Alliance, Arts Northwest, Wyoming Arts Alliance, and Montana Performing Arts Consortium. He has been a repeat presenter at several of these booking conferences teaching concepts in marketing the arts. He has also served on panels and as a mentor for new colleagues in the arts industry also as part of these booking conferences. While a student at BYU, he performed with the BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble on 9 tours to 21 countries. He has also played music for over 20 years with several groups ranging from orchestras to bluegrass bands to choirs that have performed in a variety of settings around the world. In the past, Jonathon has also been involved from artist, a creative, and a management side of theater productions, television commercials, feature films, radio commercials, and various other performance media. Previous to his time as an artist manager at BYU, Jonathon worked in radio advertising and event marketing with Jacor Broadcasting in Salt Lake City and Orca Radio Inc. In Seattle, Washington. While in Radio, he worked with events including the Smooth Jazz Festival at the Chateau Saint Michelle Winery in Washington. He and his wife Britney live in Provo, Utah with their 5 kids.

Shane W. Wright Assistant: Jacob Swain

Shane W. Wright has been with Brigham Young University (BYU) Performing Arts Management for nearly 12 years. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with an emphasis in Broadcast. He also has a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Management from the Marriott School of Management at BYU. Shane’s appreciation for the arts started in his childhood with training in piano, voice, acting and dance. Shane has performed and been involved extensively throughout his life. While at BYU, Shane was a performer in the Young Ambassadors and the International Folk Dance Ensemble. While at Performing Arts Management Shane has trained, managed, marketed, created marketing materials, worked with high level VIP’s, and booked concerts regionally, throughout the U.S., and internationally. He has also worked with all of the performing group directors in the School of Music and Department of Dance, and has thoroughly enjoyed every minute. In the last few years he has toured with the Young Ambassadors, Chamber Orchestra, Living Legends, the Ballroom Dance Company, the International Folk Dance Ensemble, and Vocal Point as each group’s tour manager. Shane is married to Emilee and they have 3 children.

Office Manager

Karla Schmidt

Staff

Secretaries:Lisa Stoddard and Aaron Sainsbury Accountant:  Austin McNeil Publicity Writers:  Crystal Myler and Erika Riggs Social Media Intern:  Hannah Mouritsen