Mr. William Hollin has been the Music Director and conductor for the PVYO Philharmonia for 25 years, 1992 - 2004 and 2010 - present.  Now the retiring Lead Instrumental Music Teacher at The Barbara Ingram School for the Arts in Hagerstown, Mr. Hollin lead BISFA’s instrumental music department of seven full and part-time faculty since the school’s inception in 2009, Mr. Hollin’s ensembles consistently earned superior ratings at district and state adjudications, as did his orchestras in Montana, where he directed the school orchestras for the Missoula County Public Schools 2004-2009....

Dr. Brandon Carbonari joined the staff of the Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra in 2021. He has been an orchestra director for Washington County Public Schools since 2022 and is the Adjunct Low Brass Professor at Frederick Community College. He is an active performer on trombone, euphonium, and tuba. Dr. Carbonari has a music education degree from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, and graduate degrees in Trombone Performance from Carnegie Mellon University and West Virginia University.

Mr. Dahlin is in his seventeenth season directing the PVYO Symphony, returning to the Symphony after directing the PVYO Concert Band for several seasons. Robert Dahlin is the instrumental music teacher at Hallie Wells Middle School in Clarksburg MD. During his tenure with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Mr. Dahlin has conducted award-winning string orchestras, concert bands, and jazz ensembles. Mr. Dahlin’s students consistently earn superior ratings at local, state, and regional music festivals.  His students consistently earn first place and best overall ensemble awards for each...

Mrs. Michelle Cammarata is a lifelong Montgomery County resident and graduate of MCPS.  She received a bachelor’s degree in music education (instrumental music) and a bachelor’s degree in music performance (bass trombone) from the University of Maryland, graduating Magna Cum Laude.  She taught at Montgomery Blair High School for sixteen years and now teaches at Cabin John Middle School. She earned joint certification from Berkleemusic and Propellerhead Software as a Specialist in “Music Creation Using Reason” software. In 2013 Mrs. Cammarata received the Maryland Music Educators Association...

After graduating in the top five percent of her Seneca Valley High School class, Mrs. Lee went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and her certification in instrumental music education from the Catholic University of America, studying piano with Walter Pate and violin and viola with Jody Gatwood. Presently, Mrs. Lee is a string and band director at Beverly Farms ES, Luxmanor ES, and Candlewood ES. She has also been the string director for Cedar Grove, Clarksburg, Damascus, Rockwell, and Little Bennett Elementary Schools and string and band director at Clearspring ES, Olney ES,...

Dr. Mark Schuppener is the conductor of the Preparatory Orchestra of the Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra program and has also served as a strings specialist and frequent sectional coach. Dr. Schuppener has garnered acclaim as a soloist, chamber musician, conductor, arts administrator, and passionate music educator. Since moving to the Washington DC area in 2018, he has served both as the Director of Fine and Performing Arts and Director of Strings and Chamber Music at Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, MD. As a music educator, Dr. Schuppener has held appointments as a university professor of...

Dr. Tzu-Ching Tai has established herself as a cellist, music educator, conductor, and researcher. She is a graduate of Hartt School of Music, where she earned a Master of Music degree in Cello Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Music Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. As a music educator and conductor, she has been involved in music teaching from elementary to collegiate levels. She is strings specialist/orchestra director at Fairfax County Public Schools. Previously, she was...

Terry S. Alvey recently retired from Montgomery County Public Schools, where she was the Instrumental Music Director at Walt Whitman High School.  Ms. Alvey received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Trumpet Performance from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and continued her graduate studies in music education at the University of Maryland and Trinity College. She is an active educator, guest conductor, adjudicator, clinician, and performer. Ms. Alvey began her musical career in the D.C. area as a freelance musician and a member of the Monumental Brass Quintet. The quintet performed extensively in...

Jon Eising is the Instrumental Music Department Chair at James Hubert Blake High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. Blake is home to the Signature Program for the Arts and Humanities for Montgomery County Public Schools. While there, Mr. Eising’s ensembles have consistently received superior ratings at both band and orchestra festivals, and he has led The Roaring Bengals Marching Band all over the country to perform at premiere parades, bowl games, and competitions. Mr. Eising received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from The University of Oklahoma and a Master’s Degree in French Horn...

Kristi Licare is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance as a student of David Jones and a Bachelor of Music Education. Before her undergraduate studies, Ms. Licare earned a certificate in clarinet performance from the Juilliard School, Pre-College Division, where she studied with Laura Flax. Ms. Licare is in her ninth year as the Instrumental Music Director and second year as the Content Specialist for the Fine Arts and Technology departments at Westland Middle School. In prior years, she has conducted the MCPS...

Ceylon Narvelle Mitchell II is a professional flutist, arts entrepreneur, educator, and arts advocate in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska and a graduate of East Anchorage High School, he earned a Master of Music Education degree from Boston University and a Master of Music Performance degree from the University of Maryland, in addition to a Graduate Certificate in Multimedia Journalism. Ceylon will continue his education in the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) flute program at the University of Maryland with Dr. Sarah Frisof in Fall 2019. Recent...

Ms. Jennifer Mitchell joined PVYO in 2008 as Clarinet Choir Conductor and accepted the position of PVYO Executive Director in May 2009. Ms. Mitchell graduated summa cum laude from James Madison University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. She earned her Master’s Degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Memphis.  As a graduate assistant,  Jennifer conducted the  Varsity Band, assisted with the “Mighty Sound of the South” Marching Band, directed the Lady Tiger Pep Band, and performed with the University Orchestra. While living in Memphis, Jennifer was a woodwind faculty...