Brant Bayless

Born in Kansas and raised in Ponca City, Oklahoma, violist Brant Bayless came to Utah after completing his studies in New York City.

Brant started his career as the violist of the Arcata String Quartet with concerts taking them to Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie and Wigmore Hall. Since joining the Utah Symphony in 2001, Brant regularly performs at the NOVA Chamber Music Series, Grand Teton Music Festival, Bellingham Festival of Music, and the Strings Festival in Steamboat Springs.

As guest violist, Brant traveled to Brazil with the Fry Street Quartet, performing at the Oficina de Musica de Curitiba and as guest principal violist with the St. Louis Symphony under their music director David Robertson. As concerto soloist, Brant has performed with conductor Jun Markl in Takemitsu's A String Around Autumn; Bruch's Romance and von Weber's Andante and Rondo Ungarese; and Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante. His viola is attributed to the Milanese maker Luigi Bajoni from 1858.