NVYO FACES
2026-27 conductors • staff • board
LEON KOBAYASHI
Artistic Director
Symphony Conductor
Leon Kobayash is a Japanese American conductor and violinist whose work spans symphonic, operatic, educational, and community settings. He is committed to building orchestras that combine artistic ambition with collaboration, curiosity, and meaningful connections to their communities. He currently serves as Artistic Director and Symphony Conductor of Northern Valley Youth Orchestras in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and leads the St. Croix Valley Symphony Orchestra at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, where he also teaches violin.
Leon earned his Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Minnesota, where he also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. During his time there, he conducted the University Philharmonic Orchestra and Gold Campus Orchestra and worked extensively in opera. His operatic experience includes Street Scene, Hänsel und Gretel, Le nozze di Figaro, and the world premiere of the chamber version of Bright Sheng and David Henry Hwang’s Dream of the Red Chamber, for which he served as relay conductor and worked closely with the composer.
Previously, Leon served as Music Director of the Vanderbilt Commodore Orchestra, where he helped rebuild the orchestra following the pandemic and developed it into a high-achieving musical community open to students from across the university. He also served as assistant conductor of the Vanderbilt University Orchestra and Opera Theatre, contributing to performances of Die Zauberflöte and Britten’s War Requiem.
His artistic development has also included studies at the Monteux School and Music Festival, which he attended on full scholarship, and the Conducting Institute and Wintergreen Music’s LEAD Cooperative Program. His principal conducting teachers include Mark Russell Smith, Ernesto Estigarribia, and Robin Fountain, with additional mentorship from Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Andrew Litton, Tito Muñoz, Ming Luke, Alexander Mickelthwate, James Holmes, and Tiffany Lu.
Leon is also an active violinist and has performed with professional ensembles including the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Mankato Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, and Sioux City Symphony Orchestra. He studied violin with Stephen Miahky and Steven Moeckel.
Originally from Chandler, Arizona, Leon is particularly passionate about repertoire that brings different musical traditions and communities into conversation. He believes that the orchestra is a living and evolving art form that thrives when artistic excellence is joined by education, inclusivity, and genuine connection with its audience.
KARA HARTTEN
Philharmonic Conductor
Kara Hartten began her musical studies at the age of five in her hometown of Redding, Connecticut. She earned both a Bachelor of Music Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in French from DePauw University, followed by a Master of Music in cello performance and instrumental conducting from the University of North Dakota. Ms. Hartten is presently an orchestra teacher in the Grand Forks Public Schools and performs with the Fargo Moorhead Symphony Orchestra as well as the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra. She is a past conductor for the UND Community Orchestra, and NVYO’s Allegro Orchestra; she has additionally coached NVYO Crescendo chamber music and cello sectionals.
As a cellist, Kara has performed with the UND Student String Quartet and UND’s Red River Trio, a student ensemble that toured in May of 2014 in Tokyo, Japan and Shanghai, China. Kara has studied with Drs. Simona Barbu, Darilyn Manring, Yeon-Ji Yun, and Eric Edberg, as well as performed in master classes with renowned cellists such as Amit Peled, Matt Haimovitz, Nicholas Photinos, Emilio Colon and Laszlo Varga. In 2009, she performed with the DePauw Chamber Orchestra during a tour of Austria and Germany. She also performed the Lalo cello concerto with the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestra in 2007 as the winner of its concerto competition. In 2011, she played Mendelssohn’s Octet in E-flat major with internationally known cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
KATIE STERMER
Assistant, Philharmonic 2026-27
Katie Stermer grew up in East Grand Forks, MN. An active musician and athlete, she was also one of the first brass players to audition for the newly-formed Northern Valley Youth Orchestras in 2011. She attended the University of South Dakota where she was a music education major performing in the symphonic band, symphony orchestra, jazz band, and marching band. She earned her Masters Degree in Music Education from Florida State University in 2023.
Ms. Stermer is an active musician, music educator, and advocate for education, who taught grades 6-8 band at GFPS South Middle School from 2020-2024 and Montevideo Middle School from 2018-2020. She served on the North Dakota Music Educators Board as the Eastern Band Representative during the 2023-24 school year. Currently, Ms. Stermer is working at the University of North Dakota in the area of Outreach for Teacher Recruitment and Retention in the College of Education. She is thankful to be a part of the wonderful music-making experiences that NVYO has to offer!
DEVON TUCKER
Assistant Conductor, Symphony 2026-27
Devon Tucker grew up in Wadena, MN and graduated from Sebeka High School, where he was active in band and drumline. He attended NDSU where as a music education major he participated in University Band, Wind Symphony, Woodwind Quintet, University Symphony Orchestra, Gold Star Marching Band (drum major for 2 seasons), and other ensembles, and played bassoon with the Greater Grand Forks Symphony. In 2023 he earned a Master of Arts in Music from University of Mary. Mr. Tucker is a band instructor in the Grand Forks Public Schools; he previously taught in Thompson, ND and at Sacred Heart school in East Grand Forks, MN. A bassoonist with the 188th Army Band with a current rank of Sergeant, Mr. Tucker plays in a number of 188th Army band ensembles on bassoon, sousaphone, and French horn; and is the unit band librarian. In addition to his teaching and military careers, Mr. Tucker is also active as a performing musician and teacher in the Grand Forks community.
NAOMI WELSH
Executive Director
Naomi Welsh is in her 16th season as executive director of NVYO. She previously taught orchestra for ten years in the North Dakota public school systems and was cello instructor at the University of North Dakota for eleven years. She holds degrees in music and in psychology from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and a degree in music education, with emphasis in strings, from Minnesota State University- Moorhead. Ms. Welsh is an avid chamber musician with over twenty years of private studio teaching experience. She maintains a private studio of string students and stays active as a musician in the community. Ms. Welsh was the recipient of the North Dakota String Teachers Association 2012 Distinguished Service Award and the 2018 Thursday Music Club Gold Note Award.
NVYO BOARD 2026-27
RYAN ZERR, PRESIDENT
University of North Dakota,
Department Chair/ Professor, Mathematics
Associate Vice President, President's Office
NVYO parent/Alumni parent
2nd term complete 6/30/28
MATTHEW TERNUS,
VICE PRESIDENT
1st term complete 6/30/27
RADHA PANINI, TREASURER
University of North Dakota,
Teaching Associate Professor, Mathematics
NVYO parent
2nd term complete 6/30/28
KATIE DACHTLER, SECRETARY
Dachtler Therapy, PLLC
Owner and Mental Health Therapist
2023-25 Bush Fellow
NVYO Parent
2nd term complete 6/30/29
DAVE KROGH
Retired
NVYO Alumni Parent
1st term complete 6/30/27
TYLER MANSKE
Milky Way Media
Owner
1st term complete 6/30/29
KARI NOYES
Retired
NVYO Alumni Parent
1st term complete 6/30/28
COREY THOMPSON
East Grand Forks Water & Light, Technology Manager
NVYO Alumni Parent
2nd term complete 6/30/27
BROOKE VANLOOY
Grand Forks Public Schools
Teacher, English
Central HS
2nd term complete 6/30/28
BOARD MEETINGS
2026-27 meeting sites:
1) Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave Grand Forks ND 58201 (default)
unless otherwise noted. Subject to change.
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July 6 - Empire Arts Center
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August - board retreat
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Oct 5- Empire Arts Center
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Nov. 2 - Empire Arts Center
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Annual meeting TBA
annual meeting typically takes place immediately following a concert. -
ANNUAL MEETING MATERIALS
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Dec 7 Empire Arts Center
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Jan 4 Empire Arts Center
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Feb 1 Empire Arts Center
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Mar 1 Empire Arts Center
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Apr 5 Empire Arts Center
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May 3 Empire Arts Center
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June 7 Empire Arts Center
Interested in serving on the board?
Nominations are open each season until February 1st. Voting will take place in March. Occasional other vacancies occur, and any forms already collected would be considered for those open spots.
Nomination form available here:
GOOGLE NOMINATION FORM
PDF/printable form here:
NVYO BOARD MEMBERSHIP
NVYO accepts applications for board membership on a rolling basis, and voting for next year’s board takes place in the early spring. To run for the NVYO board, complete and submit the Google Form HERE or paper version NVYO Board nomination agreement form. Forms recNote that you must first be a voting member of NVYO by being a parent of active participants OR by marking the appropriate line on the form.
NVYO Board members accept the following responsibilities:
• Represent NVYO in the community through business and personal relationships
• Fulfill a 3-year term, with option to run for a second term
• Attend monthly meetings
• Make an annual personal financial contribution
• Participate in one or more fundraising opportunities
• Help formulate and take responsibility for policies and practices
After two consecutive 3-year terms, board members must rotate off for a minimum of one year.