Jay Gundersen was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah.  He graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelors degree in Music Education and began teaching at Thomas Jefferson Junior High School.  After teaching there, he moved on to Granite High School for a brief stint, and then on to Skyline High School in 2000.  Aside from teaching vocal music, Jay has been involved as a performer and music director in Salt Lake theatres for many years.  As a performer he has been seen on the stages of Promised Valley Playhouse and Pioneer Memorial Theatre in such shows as:  The Music Man, Brigadoon, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and My One and Only.  At the Grand Theatre and Hale Center Theater, Jay’s music directing credits include dozens of shows.  Some of his favorites include:  Paint Your Wagon, Gypsy, Annie Get Your Gun, Funny Girl, Brigadoon, Damn Yankees, Camelot, Oliver, Forever Plaid, Cinderella, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Once Upon A Mattress, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Godspell, Hair, Annie, and Little Shop of Horrors.  Jay also has an extensive background singing barbershop harmony.  He has sung in many quartets over the past 33 years, as well as with The Beehive Statesmen Chorus, The Saltaires, and, The Eagle Land Chorus.