About the LYS staff:
Robert C. Snider, Percussion Coach, is a native of Lincoln, Nebraska. Snider completed his bachelor’s degree in 1976 at the University of Nebraska (Lincoln) and his master’s degree in 1978 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He has performed as a percussion soloist/clinician for the American Bandmasters Association, the Mid West Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Western International Band Clinic, the American Band College, and on three Percussive Arts Society International Conventions. He has had many articles published in Band World magazine and in the Percussive Notes. His book “Percussion Section Techniques” written with Steve Grimo, is published by Meredith/Hal Leonard. Snider has also performed with numerous local symphony orchestras in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia and Maryland.
In 2011, Snider retired from the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., after 30 years of service. While there, he served as National Tour Director, percussionist and later timpanist with the Concert Band and drummer for the Country Current. Snider was the assistant director of bands and percussion instructor at the University of Wisconsin (Green Bay) prior to being selected for Navy Band-Washington in 1981. He returned to Lincoln in 2017 and is a busy freelance percussionist in the Lincoln area, teaches part time at Doane and Nebraska Wesleyan Universities and maintains a home percussion studio.
Clark Potter, Music Director, began teaching viola and conducting at UNL’s Glenn Korff School of Music in 1996 and, after six years conducting the Junior Youth Orchestra, started conducting the LYS in 2007. He is an active solo recitalist and chamber musician, and after 26 years as principal viola, he recently retired from the Lincoln Symphony. He is in demand as an adjudicator and clinician at schools in Nebraska and around the region, conducting HS honors orchestras in Omaha, Reno, NV, Fort Hays, Manhattan and Olathe, KS, and Yankton and Rapid City, SD, and he has conducted All-State Middle School Orchestras in Oregon, Alabama, Nebraska and Iowa. He was awarded Outstanding String Educator for the state of Nebraska for 2008, as voted by the state chapter of the American String Teachers Association and he was honored in 2023 to receive a Mayor’s Arts Award (the Gladys Lux Arts Education Award) for his work with the Lincoln Youth Symphony. He holds degrees from Western Washington University, Indiana University, and California Institute of the Arts. Mr. Potter is married to Jan, also a local educator, and they have two children who both live in Lincoln: daughter Shannon with her whippets Apollo and Gemini; and son Samuel (with his wife, Alexandria and son Hudson and pug Stinky Pete). For hobbies he loves baseball, running and racing, and reading.
A native of Lincoln, Sophia Potter, String Coach, began cello studies at age 10 with Carol Work. From 2000-2003, Sophia was a proud member of the LYS cello section. She holds degrees in Cello Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory, where she studied with Peter Rejto, Hans Jensen, and Amir Eldan; and UNL, where she studied with Gregory Beaver of the Chiara Quartet. Sophia has studied and performed chamber music extensively. In 2010, Sophia moved to Omaha, NE to found The Rangbrook Ensemble: a professional string chamber ensemble presenting an annual free concert series around Omaha and Lincoln. In addition, Sophia is the Director of the Chamber Music program for the Omaha Area Youth Orchestras, and currently serves as OAYO’s Interim Executive Director. Finally, she serves as the chair of the Artist Selection Committee for Lincoln Friends of Chamber Music series. An advocate for instruments made by living luthiers, Sophia plays on a 2008 William Whedbee cello. She lives in Omaha with her partner, luthier Dirk Henry, and their two high-maintenance cats, Sam and Sebastian. She is delighted to be joining the Lincoln Youth Symphony as a coach this season.
Terry R. Rush, Assistant Conductor and Brass Coach: prior to his retirement from Lincoln Public Schools, he was the instrumental music director at Lincoln Southwest High School for five years, which followed twenty-five years at Lincoln High. Previously, he was the Director of Bands at Pius X HS. Since retirement he has taken on various duties at Doane University. He has been a member of the Lincoln Symphony for 44 seasons and the Lincoln Municipal Band for 46 years, serving as principal trombone as well as guest soloist. Mr. Rush was appointed Assistant Director of the Lincoln Municipal Band in 2001 and the Lincoln Youth Symphony in 2002. Mr. Rush has served on the board of the NSBA. He is a past winner of the Donald A. Lenz Outstanding Nebraska Bandmaster, recipient of the John Philip Sousa Foundation National Legion of Honor Award and the Nebraska National Guard Medal of Freedom for his support to military music programs. Mr. Rush is the 2010 recipient of the Lincoln Symphony Golden Baton Award and was just awarded the 2018 John Shildneck Service Award from the Lincoln Municipal Band.
Alyssa Wilhelm, Woodwinds Coach, is the Director of Bands at Lincoln Southwest High School and has been teaching there since 2005. She teaches 2 Marching Bands, 3 Concert Bands and 4 Jazz Bands. She has been the woodwind coach with Lincoln Youth Symphony since 2011. Alyssa earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education degree in 2005 and her Master’s in Music Education degree in 2012, both from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She plays piccolo in Omaha Symphonic Winds and often plays with the Lincoln Municipal Band as well. Alyssa is married to fellow band director, Jared Wilhelm (Pius X High School), and they have 3 children: Annaliese, Gabriel, and Lily.