Many years of searching and several piano teachers later, Sarah was introduced into the study of Louise Hill, a private Suzuki piano instructor in the nearby town of Flagstaff, Arizona. For eight years, Laura and Michael drove the two hour round trip up the canyon from Sedona, for Sarah's studies. Though willing and able, the trip became tedious and pointless, for the concerts, auditions, and competitions seemed to require several trips each week in addition to dismissal from Sarah's school study. A move would provide the means to study both musically, and academically without interruption. In the summer of 1993, the Thiele family made their move to the town of Flagstaff, as Sarah entered her first year of middle school.

As the next few years passed, Sarah studied intensely with Louise, competing, performing, and writing more then ever before, soon receiving a citywide nickname as "the child with perfect pitch." During those years, she took on a personal style and definition uniquely unto her own. Though her writing had been an obvious focus, there had never before been a reason to pursue, or study with a purpose. Now, at the age of thirteen, Sarah was intensely writing in song, periodic instrumentation by and through form, recognizing and analyzing pieces that, at the time, she should have not been capable of processing. Quickly, her ability to recognize keys, theoretical change, balance and counterbalance between instruments became so strong that she enrolled in an advanced level theory course at the local university: NAU, at the age of fifteen.

After high school, Sarah pursued a prior scholarship opportunity from Idyllwild Arts Academy, and took a position as a post-graduate student to prepare herself for college. Although Idyllwild is a respected arts institution, with several incredible instructors, the education that Sarah walked away with was provided by herself. She claims the personal development as an artist and a person that year has to be, at this point, her most prized possession. That year, a family friend offered to track Sarah's college audition tape. After the first session, Steve Lester, local recording engineer, artist and owner of New Moon Records offered to record and complete a solo instrumental album. Only weeks later, Sarah recorded her first full-length piano album: Joshua Tree Sessions. Almost a year later it was submitted to the JPP National Awards and Nominated for "Best Acoustic Album of the Year" and "Best Acoustic Song of the Year." Joshua Tree Sessions received runner-up and second place honor, without her knowledge of its submission. That record, is a portrait of an eighteen year-old girl, a piano and their venture together. The album contains eleven tracks, three of which were composed prior to the session. The other eight were improvisations breathed out by a pitch -black closet and the sound of strings.

Through her admission to Idyllwild Arts, Sarah received several acceptances from Music institutions throughout the nation. USC, Cal Arts, San Francisco Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, Berkley in Boston and California replies with acceptance letters and scholarship offers, Sarah was also accepted as a composition major with a full scholarship to UNLV. Emphasis on piano and performance would take her into the study of Dr. Carol Stivers. She moved to Las Vegas.

Enrolled at UNLV, in addition to studying both composition and piano performance, Sarah found a personal passion in music theory. Through the love of her art she put in several extra analyses for review and was invited to guest lecture for theory courses under the recommendation of Dr. Jocelyn Jensen, choral and theory instructor for UNLV Music

Sarah currently receives vocal instruction (directed toward original song) provided by Coren Zai, a Seth Riggs certified instructor. She also continues her piano studies in and out of the classroom. Residing currently in Las Vegas, she composes, arranges, produces and performs her original piano-vocal work professionally and for the love of her art in pursuit of a long term music career. She has become one of Las Vegas' most beloved performers being one of the very few being paid regularly to perform her original music.

At the beginning of 2003, the Las Vegas local music scene still seems small for an area brimming with nearly 1.5 million residents. But bands continue to compete for attention -- in the suburbs mostly -- away from the all-consuming bling-bling of the Strip. Even so, plenty of bands and singers excite several of Vegas' more notable music-scene veterans.

We asked six such scene veterans -- six arbiters of presumably good taste who, as it turns out, know each other -- to name three or more of their favorite acts. There was no winner and no attempt to find a winner, although a few names such as Red Means Go, One More Weekend and Still Haven kept popping up. The act that the arbiters praise the most is singer-songwriter and pianist Sarah Thiele.

The six arbitrators, in no particular order, begins with Ryan Kinder, who calls Thiele "amazing." But we'll get to Thiele in a moment.

" Arbiter No. 1: Kinder is box office manager at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. He's also a DJ and owner of local Big Lizard Records. His picks:

The Killers' garage-rock-with-keyboards sound is sort of like "The Strokes meet Interpol or Joy Division," says Kinder. "They're, like, gloomy garage rock. They just kill. They're an excellent live band."

FFI is a politically aware, power-rock trio. Some listeners say FFI sounds like a post-MC5, post-Stooges punk band, but that's an oversimplification, says Kinder, who signed FFI to Big Lizard Records.

Slow to Surface plays metal rock, and has opened for Taproot. But Kinder says the band's not nu metal like Taproot. Instead, it's a very tight, heavy, college rock group.

Amber Halo plays indie-rock. Kinder signed the band to Big Lizard and compares them to Hum and Sunny Day Real Estate. Amber Halo covers songs by underground rock grandpas Chokebore and Boilermaker. The musicians are well-schooled and studied players.

" Arbiter No. 2: Nicole Sligar owns the grass-roots marketing outfit Shoestring Promotions. Her picks:

Thiele is a prolific singer-songwriter and pianist. "She's got a really beautiful voice along the lines of Tori Amos, but I think better," Sligar says. "She's young. She's beautiful ... and in between songs, she's sassy and she swears."

The Chapter is a hip-hop group, comprised of a live band, a prodigious DJ and two emcees. Most of the Chapter used to be in the Watson Family. The veteran band aspires to the likes of Outkast, Wyclef Jean and the Roots. Says Sligar: "With a full band, it's got so much emotion and power to it. They've got a couple of catchy songs and the vibe at their shows is very comfortable. The guys are all good-looking, which doesn't hurt."

Singer and piano player Brother Luke (real name Matthew Shaun DeGraff) adds lo-tech, retro-'80s-funk to upbeat indie-pop. "One song, he's got a kitschy rap feel to it, and makes beat box noises, and then he'll throw down something that sounds like Stevie Wonder or Prince," Sligar says.

" Arbiter No. 3: Kat Kellams runs promotions at the just-reopened Huntridge Theatre. Her picks:

One More Weekend plays college-y, heavy rock. The band's cover of Wham's "Last Christmas" is pro-tight and works both as a cheeky pop-culture joke and as a rocking college-pop song. "Every time I see them, they put on a great show, and the kids know all the words to their songs," Kellams says. "They have a lot of emotion and passion."

By Death's Design is an accessible hard-core band with a lot of stage energy: "I enjoy hard-core music, but a lot of people say, 'That's just noise, turn it off.' By Death's Design has melody, is well-produced, is user-friendly, and no one gives them wimp status."

Farewell to Friends is a Get Up Kids, Dashboard Confessional type of emo band that puts on a good show, Kellams says.

Still Haven plays melodic metal with unique tunefulness and sustained vocals.

Jr. Anti-Sex League is an electric-guitar group of talented and funny teenagers who are "like the Violent Femmes from 20 years ago. ... I am so excited about this band."

" Arbiter No. 4: Known simply by one name, Fuzz books shows at the Cooler Lounge. He's brought a lot of great acts to town that wouldn't have gotten gigs anywhere else here, especially while the Huntridge was closed last year. His picks:

The Nines perfectly mix jazz, hip hop, funk, old-school soul and "about a million other ingredients," Fuzz says. "They are so seamless and nonchalant ... booty shakin' to the max."

The Day After ... plays rock with a touch of emo. Singer Jenine Cali has a commanding voice and stage presence, Fuzz says.

Red Means Go is an "amazing" pop-rock quartet with a strong singer. Band members include day-jobbers in the Blue Man Group. The two-singer band owes influence to both Kiss and the Beatles, so it blurs harmonies into crunchy guitar hooks.

Fuzz also notes the "blue collar punk 'n' roll" band FFI, plus Thiele; and he gave nods to singers in the band Jack Moses and Slow Children.

" Arbiter No. 5: Jeff Higginbotham owns www.lvlocalmusicscene.com, which chronicles many dozens of local bands. His picks:

Clockwise used to be the rap-rock band Phatter Than Albert but is now a heavy rock band on the RCA record label. Higginbotham likes the new sound much better than rap-rock. "I was never a fan of that," he says. "I just love the drive they have as a band. I like how green they are, just starting out."

Magna-Fi used to be the Szuters. The modern-rock band signed with Gold Circle Records, and it tours and records in earnest. "They're actually out there trying to do something," Higginbotham says.

One More Weekend is the college-y, heavy rock act that Kellams picks. "They have just an awesome drive and ambition to make it," Higginbotham says. "They still have a passion."

" Arbiter No. 6: Local music advocate Michael Welsh is known in local circles for seeing a lot of shows and mass e-mailing people around the city with information about bands and concerts. His Fatkof Entertainment is an independent cooperative for promotions, booking, artist development and advising. His picks:

Still Haven is a new kind of rock, emo-drama-core, which Kellams also picks. "They have more than energy than anyone I've seen. They're five kids from high school and they play together because they're friends."

Shotface has more of a Sublime-ish reggae-rock sound. "They just get better every time I see them."

GDB is a five-piece that includes guest bands sometimes, and occasionally picks up a talented female singer. "Great dub reggae band."

The Latest Flames is a really aggressive blues-core band in the Swedish style of the Hives.

Welsh also likes FFI and, no surprise, Thiele.

"She's the total package," Welsh says.