Tori is the new Office Manager for Harmony Arts and Music Academy and does an outstanding job! She is thoughtful, considerate, hard-working, innovative, and compassionate - all qualities important to HAMA.
Tori comes from an amazing family with roots - lots of cousins, hard-working heritage, and happy memories. She learned to fish in the river, and then pulled leeches off her legs! Good times.
Tori loved to sing and act. She started piano lessons at age 6 and still remembers the first piece: four whole notes on middle C. Music education has come a long way since the 80s!
(Tori was the fairy princess second from right)
Tori’s dad was in the Army, and for a while, their family lived in Berlin, Germany before the Berlin Wall came down. She loved going to the “beach” at the lake and riding bikes with her family.
“San Juan Outpost” at the Old Barn Theatre,
then called the StageStop. Tori is at bottom left.
After moving back to Utah, Tori took piano lessons from Janice Holmgren. Over the years she studied choir from Carl Ashby and Claudia Bigler, flute from Sherry Bingham, and drama from Sonny Barrus and Joe Batzel. Tori homeschooled for middle school and graduated from Box Elder High School in 1997.
“Chansonettes” choir group from BEHS under the direction of Claudia Bigler.
Tori is on the second row from the top, second from right.
Tori’s graduation from Snow College in 1999 with her future husband, David, and younger sister, Josie - you might recognize Josie also!
Tori attended Snow College, married the love of her life, David Jones, in 1999, and graduated from Utah State University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.
Hiked to the top of the mountain above Honeyville in about 2008.
Tori worked at a boarding school in Randolph, Utah for six years and learned a lot from Tammy Johnson about communication and making good decisions. Tori also worked as a paraprofessional at an elementary school, where she discovered a love for teaching and learning basic math.
Showing the guitar to the new baby and big sister.
Tori’s aunt, Sara Bulla, let Tori borrow her guitar and that led to a new hobby! Tori had continued to enjoy playing the piano, but guitar opened a whole new world of “understanding” music as more than notes on the page to play correctly. Singing around the campfire is Tori’s happy place! Tori has a collection of musical instruments that includes a native flute, a zither, and a small Djembe drum.
Enjoying Homer, Alaska.
Tori and David have 3 amazing daughters and went on a 3-year adventure to Alaska. Unforgettable people, unbelievable scenery, and super far away! It would be nice to visit again someday, but Utah is home. She is glad to be here and focus on family life with her husband, children, siblings, and parents.
Tori’s sister, Josie Anderson, completed the Musikgarten program with Nan when she was a child, and encouraged Tori to enroll her daughters in classes. At the time, Tori was pregnant with the youngest - who loved “Sing Hello, Sing Hello, Hoo hoo hoo” from the time she was born. Also “A RRRigg-a-jig-jig and a-Way We Go” entered the family lexicon for good! That was how Tori got involved with HAMA.
Social media started really catching on around 2015, and Nan asked Tori if she’d like to make some posts for the studio. Through the years, Tori worked in various positions and is now glad to be working as the Studio Manager.
Tori’s husband, David, designed and built most of the items in these Viking costumes. Tori sewed the aprons she and their daughters are wearing.
Tori stays busy with activities for her kids, studying the Bible, and cooking - how many versions of creme brûlée can one person make? Not enough!!
Tori also teaches Healthy Relationships classes to 8th and 10th graders for the Pregnancy Care Center of Brigham City and is an involved member of the Discovery Family Coalition. Tori attends Grace Bible Church of Tremonton and loves community events. Some of the best moments are on road trips, during quiet conversations with friends, and enjoying get-togethers with family. Life is sweet and full of beauty!