Four Gals & a Guy command the stage with a skillful and dazzling Piano Concert

Elizabeth Bassett grew up in Kaysville, Utah, the second of eight daughters. After graduating from BYU, where she met her husband, Reed, they moved to Morgan Hill, California. They raised four daughters in Morgan Hill. All four are now grown and have coincidentally moved back to the Layton/Kaysville area to be near grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Elizabeth also has the two cutest grandsons in the world there.  Elizabeth works in Development Services for the City of Morgan Hill, where she has been employed for the last 15 years. She loves her job helping people and being a part of the community. If you need a permit in Morgan Hill, come and see her.  Elizabeth’s hobbies include reading, walking, riding her exercise bike, and talking to her sisters and daughters on the phone. However, doing face filters with the grandsons on video chat is probably her most favorite activity.  Elizabeth began playing the piano when she was eight. She came home from school one day to find a new piano in the living room. She fell in love with the instrument then and has been playing ever since. At 14 she was called to be the Primary pianist. She has been an accompanist and soloist since that time. She plays both the piano and the organ. She has been a ward organist for almost 20 years running. When she told her mother that she was going to be playing in the concert tonight, her mom remarked, “I’m sure glad all that piano lesson money for all those years paid off!” Elizabeth’s piano teacher. Mr. Gerald Dalling, passed away last year. She is dedicating this concert to him. 

Jaye Eves is from Southern Utah where she spent her time playing and loving sports and the outdoors. While in school with her husband, had the chance to live all over the world, and has recently settled down in Hollister, CA, where she loves the small town feel, the nearby mountains to hike and ocean so close to enjoy. Jaye is a Registered Nurse of 18 years with experience in Long Term Care & Rehab and Same Day Surgery. She is wife to wonderful and supportive husband, Tony Eves, and mother to 3 beautiful children.Music has always been an important part of Jaye’s life. It has brought great joy, fun, peace, and play to her and her family’s life. She firmly believes that music is a gift from a loving Heavenly Father that can speak to our souls, heal, calm, and bring joy to our lives. She prays that you might find peace and joy at this special time of year through our Savior Jesus Christ.

Spencer has studied music with several teachers throughout grade school, college, and after. He has performed in many settings as a soloist and accompanist for special events, including as the accompanist for the Temple Pageant and as a singer with the Santa Clara Chorale. He grew up in San Jose, served a mission in the Philippines, and returned to San Jose with a degree in accounting from BYU. He currently lives there with Rekha, his amazing wife, and two wonderful children, Riya and Viaan. Professionally, he provides accounting and financial services to technology companies focusing on high-growth SaaS and on M&A. He is thrilled to be performing as part of the Days on Christmas at Temple Hill.

Kathy O’Neill is the mother of seven children, and grandmother of 13 adorable grandchildren. She and her husband raised their family in Pleasanton, and 10 years ago moved to Morgan Hill. She is a 5th grade teacher at a small private school in San Jose called Merryhill Elementary School, and also teaches piano lessons in the evenings.Kathy has played the piano since she was 8 years old, when she begged her parents for piano lessons, and has not stopped playing ever since. She has been an accompanist for countless choirs and soloists, played in several church capacities, and has been the ward organist for many years. She started performing at Temple Hill in 2003 and was a member of the original Eight Hands, Two Grands. Members of the group have changed almost every year, but Kathy has been the one consistent member that has kept the tradition alive. Kathy graduated from Brigham Young University in Humanities with an emphasis in Music History, and studied abroad to Vienna, Austria in 1982, where she performed for European audiences along with her fellow BYU students. Her mother is an Austrian from Saltzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for the movie, The Sound of Music. It is due to her mother’s influence that Kathy developed a love for classical music.  

Karaleen Roper is thrilled to be a part of Eight Hands, Two Grands and sharing the Christmas spirit through music. She has been playing the piano since she was a young girl and loves performing and being able to share the joy of music with others. When she is not playing the piano, Karaleen writes and arranges music for choirs, soloists and instruments. Currently, Karaleen teaches second grade and loves incorporating choral music and musical theater into the school day.