An Evening with Brian Stokes Mitchell and the Utah Symphony In honor of Kem Gardner

Brian Stokes Mitchell, dubbed “The Last Leading Man” by The New York Times, takes the stage at Maurice Abravanel Hall for this one-night only, special event performance.

Honoring Kem Gardner

Kem Gardner has served since 2005 as Chairman of Gardner Company, a private commercial real estate company in the Intermountain West, while also actively participating in community volunteer service and philanthropy. As a young business leader, he was a member of both the Utah Symphony Board of Directors and the Utah Opera Board of Trustees from 1978 to 1985 and from 1989 to 1997. He rejoined the Board of Trustees of the merged Utah Symphony | Utah Opera in 2011, and served as Chairman of the Board from 2017 to 2019.

In addition to his tremendous philanthropic support of USUO, Kem has been instrumental in growing local, national, and international prestige for USUO with several keystone projects to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Utah Symphony in 2016 and as Co-chair of USUO’s Campaign for Perpetual Motion. Among them are: Utah Symphony’s first appearance at Carnegie Hall in 40 years; a revival of Utah Symphony’s legacy of recordings; the revitalization of USUO’s statewide touring with the Mighty 5® Tour; and Utah Opera’s new production of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Moby-Dick. Gardner has also served as a leader on committees and boards for Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake Chamber, 2015 Transportation Alliance, Salt Lake Airport Authority, Utah Air Travel Commission, Utah State Board of Regents, University of Utah, United Way of Salt Lake, Salt Lake Olympic Bid Committee and 2002 Olympic Ambassadors, The Days of 47 Rodeo, and Pioneer Theater Company. With the University of Utah, he set up The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute as part of the Thomas S. Monson Center.

Gardner received his Bachelor of Arts (1967) and Juris Doctorate (1970) degrees from the University of Utah. He and his wife, Carolyn—who enjoyed their first date at the Utah Symphony—are the parents of seven children and 30 grandchildren.