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Idaho Falls Symphony's music director says next season will be his last – East Idaho News

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Idaho Falls Symphony's music director says next season will be his last – East Idaho News


IDAHO FALLS — As Thomas Heuser reflects on his last 15 years with the Idaho Falls Symphony, he’s amazed by its “incredible momentum and trajectory” in more than 100 concerts.

The 42-year-old Missouri native is the nonprofit’s music director, and he will step down at the end of the 2025-2026 season.

Heuser lives in Durango, Colorado, where he’s also the music director for the San Juan Symphony. The constant back-and-forth takes time away from his family, he says. Though it’s a difficult decision, he tells EastIdahoNews.com it’s time to step down and pursue other opportunities.

“It just felt like the right time,” Heuser says. “The orchestra is playing at its best, and we’ve got so much momentum and support for the symphony. We’re going out on a high note.”

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He’ll continue as music director of the San Juan Symphony, but he’s looking for a new adventure outside of Idaho Falls and is excited about the next chapter of his career.

Still, he’s going to miss his time in eastern Idaho. His interaction with students in the Idaho Falls Symphony Youth Orchestra is among his favorite experiences in this capacity.

“Seeing them at age 9 when I first met them, and now they’re off to college — watching them excel at their instruments and look up to me as director has been so rewarding,” says Heuser.

He says he will treasure “the relationships with people and the students.”

The symphony’s sponsors and patrons have also become “dear friends,” and Heuser wants to make the last year his best.

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Heuser during a recent performance with the Idaho Falls Symphony | Courtesy Cal Ozaki

Heuser’s musical journey

“Music, in general, has been an incredible force in my life for good.”

Heuser was a 28-year-old doctoral student studying abroad in Germany on a Fulbright Scholarship with the University of Cincinnati’s Conservatory of Music when he saw the Idaho Falls job posting through the League of American Orchestras. He was one of about 150 candidates who applied for the position.

Though he had no ties to Idaho Falls or the Gem State, Heuser says the thing that appealed to him about the job was the symphony’s emphasis on “having a strong community focus.”

“Those things, along with the idea that you could run a symphony that has seven subscription programs a year and a thriving youth organization — it just checked all the boxes for me,” Heuser says.

That idea of connecting with the community has been a major part of Heuser’s tenure. He’s been a regular presence in elementary schools and universities, according to a symphony news release, and has provided continuing education for adults with his pre-concert talks and lectures to civic groups.

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He helped launch outreach concerts in Driggs and curated a “Double Orchestra” concert with his colleagues at the Idaho State Civic Symphony in Pocatello.

Heuser’s interest in music stems back to his childhood in St. Louis, Missouri, where he took piano and violin lessons. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

His desire for collaboration with other musicians led him to conducting, which spurred him on to graduate school.

Heuser finds his career fulfilling and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

“Music, in general, has been an incredible force in my life for good and helped me meet people and see the world,” he says.

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Idaho Falls Symphony Music Directory Thomas Heuser | Courtesy Alllison Ragsdale Photography
Idaho Falls Symphony Music Directory Thomas Heuser | Courtesy Alllison Ragsdale Photography

‘Big shoes to fill’

In a news release, Idaho Falls Symphony Board President Kim Carpenter expresses appreciation for Heuser and says he will be missed.

“Thomas is leaving big shoes to fill,” Carpenter says. “His impact and legacy will long be felt in our orchestra and our community.”

Executive Director Carrie Athay expresses a similar sentiment, saying the community has been “elevated” because of Heuser’s skill, expertise and “artistic vision” for the symphony.

“When Thomas steps on the podium, he guides us on magnificent musical journeys. We are very fortunate to share one more season with him,” Athay says in a news release.

As the Idaho Falls Symphony Board begins its search for a new music director, Heuser says it’s the symphony musicians he’s going to miss most.

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“We just have such a great time together in rehearsals and performances. These kinds of relationships that you build are very special and close-knit,” says Heuser. “I look forward to the next 10-plus concerts over the next year.”

Once the application period opens for a new music director, the hiring process is expected to take about two years. The symphony will fill the position in time for the 2027-2028 season.

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This Idaho Teacher's Classroom Sign Is Going Viral After Their School Said It Violated District Policy

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This Idaho Teacher's Classroom Sign Is Going Viral After Their School Said It Violated District Policy


According to Today, Inama has been notified that the signs must be removed by the end of the school year, or further action may be taken.

An official statement about the decision from the Chief of Staff from Communications at West Ada School District can be read in full here.



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Firefighters respond to house fire in Idaho Falls – East Idaho News

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Firefighters respond to house fire in Idaho Falls – East Idaho News


The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Fire Department.

IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded to a structure fire on the 2000 block of Dalmatian Drive Friday evening.

Around 5:15 p.m., a person called 911 to report smoke inside of the home. They reported they did not see any fire or know where the smoke was coming from. It was reported that everyone in the home had evacuated.

IFFD responded immediately and began to confirm everyone was out of the home while simultaneously putting water on the fire in a bedroom.

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The fire was quickly knocked down and firefighters worked to ensure the fire did not extend to any other portions of the home.

IFFD responded with three ambulances, three engines, a ladder truck and a battalion chief.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the IFFD Fire Prevention and Investigation Division. The estimated total of damages is around $5,000.

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Idaho Falls man arrested after allegedly hitting man in the head with baseball bat in fight over guns – East Idaho News

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Idaho Falls man arrested after allegedly hitting man in the head with baseball bat in fight over guns – East Idaho News


IDAHO FALLS – A 27-year-old Idaho Falls man was arrested Sunday night after he allegedly hit another man in the head after being refused access to his guns.

Augustus Wyatt Gokey was charged with one felony count of aggravated assault causing great bodily harm. If he is found guilty, he faces up to five years in prison.

According to court documents, on Sunday around 10:30 p.m., an Idaho Falls Police officer responded to a report of a man being hit in the head with a baseball bat.

The document states that due to the nature of the call, the officer activated the patrol car’s emergency lights and sirens to get to the home as quickly as possible.

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The officer reported that at the property, a man was seen through the window with a “large laceration to the left side of his forehead.”

The document states that the wounded man signaled the officer into the home. Once inside, the officer yelled, “Police!” and another man came out of the kitchen.

The man was later identified as Gokey. The officer reported that Gokey was “immediately agitated and appeared to be under the influence of something due to his large pupil size and profuse sweating.”

The officer asked Gokey if he had any weapons on him, and he responded he did not. The officer patted him down and found no weapons. He was later placed in handcuffs.

The officer spoke with the man who was hit, who was “bleeding pretty badly,” and when the officer asked if he needed any medical attention, he denied it.

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Another officer arrived and began treating the wounded man, and the first officer spoke with Gokey.

Gokey told the officer that he’d been going through a lot, which involved “an ex-girlfriend having a child and that there were 30 men after him that he was afraid of.”

The officer asked who these men were, but Gokey told him he’d never tell.

When the officer asked him what happened at the home, Gokey said he was there to pick up a shotgun that he had stored at a safe, as he did not feel safe at his home.

Gokey told the officer the other man told him he could not have the gun and that the other man allegedly attacked him and pushed him away from the safe.

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The officer asked how the other man got hurt, and Gokey said when he pushed the man off him, he fell and hit his head on a rowing machine in the basement near the safe.

When questioned about the baseball bat, Gokey said he brought it for protection and denied ever hitting the other man with it.

The officer said that during the interview with Gokey that he appeared to become irate and yell about things other things and had an odor of alcohol coming from him.

Gokey was later placed in the patrol car after he refused to calm down.

While being placed in the backseat of the patrol car, the officer asked Gokey if he had been using any drugs. Gokey replied he wasn’t and that he’d been clean for years, though he said he’d used heroin and fentanyl in the past.

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The other officer who helped the wounded man told the first officer his side of the incident.

According to the man, Gokey came to the victim’s home to pick up a gun and had the baseball bat.

The victim refused to give the firearm to Gokey due to “his mental and physical state he was in, because he did not want anyone to get hurt.”

After the refusal, the man said Gokey had grabbed a grinder tool and was trying to get into the safe with it. The man told him to stop, and that’s when he said Gokey grabbed the bat.

Gokey waved the bat around in a motion, making it appear as if he was going to hit the man. The two then got into a scuffle over the bat, and at one point, he allegedly hit the victim in the forehead.

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The document states there was blood on the barrel and the handle of the bat. The bat itself was taken as evidence.

Gokey is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing before 7th Judicial District Magistrate Judge Stephen Clark at 1 p.m. on March 28.

Though Gokey has been charged with these crimes, this does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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