RSSoM Teaching Faculty
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Matt Wilson
Conductor, String Sinfonietta
Conductor, Ensembles
Matt Wilson

A passionate music educator for over two decades in Richmond and the surrounding communities, Matt Wilson currently serves as the orchestra director at Midlothian Middle School in Chesterfield County. Mr. Wilson works to create a joyful and challenging learning space to help students explore and grow to their full potential as musicians.
Originally from Missouri, Mr. Wilson received his Bachelor of Arts in Music and Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Truman State University. He has also received his Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Mr. Wilson serves as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician throughout central Virginia.

Justin Alexander
Director, Percussion Ensemble
Ensembles, Percussion
Justin Alexander

Justin Alexander currently serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. A dynamic and versatile percussionist, Justin has performed throughout the United States and the world, with performances in Belgium, Australia, Sweden, Costa Rica, and The Dominican Republic.
As a percussionist who started on the drum set, Justin’s creative work has revolved around this instrument. He has commissioned and performed new works for the instrument in concert and chamber music settings while also centering the drum set in his teaching curriculum. His early affinity for both popular and classical music has enabled him to move between genres and styles effortlessly, as evidenced in his recordings and performances with an eclectic range of musicians and ensembles, from sound artist Stephen Vitiello to the GRAMMY-nominated Richmond Symphony.
An Aspen Music Festival alum, Justin has performed with The Florida Orchestra, The Richmond Symphony, The Arkansas Symphony, and has held the role of Principal Percussionist with the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival since 2015.
Justin’s recent interests have explored the role of non-western percussion traditions in the percussion studio. He is currently studying Carnatic and Hindustani music with Erode Nagaraj and Shawn Mativetsky, respectively. His interest in and commitment to into an integrated approach to non-western traditions in the percussion studio has led to a presentation at the 2018 National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy as well as a co-authored article in Percussive Notes (2020).
As a member of the Percussive Arts Society, Justin has presented at PASIC 2014 and 2018, published articles in Percussive Notes, and currently serves on the PAS World Percussion Committee.
Justin holds the Doctor of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from The Florida State University. His primary teachers include Dr. John W. Parks IV, Dr. Blake Tyson, and Prof. Leon Anderson. He is proudly endorsed by Pearl / Adams Musical Instruments, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth sticks and mallets, Grover Pro Percussion, and Remo, Inc.

Caitlin Barry
Project Manager & Lead Instructor, Youth Community Strings
Violinist
Caitlin Barry

Caitlin Barry is Project Manager and Lead Instructor for the Richmond Symphony’s new Youth Community Strings program, which launched Fall 2023. A violinist and music educator, she brings nearly two decades of teaching experience to her position. Caitlin began playing the violin, learning the Suzuki method, at age five. She received her degree in Music Education from VCU, also completing Suzuki Teacher Training. She started teaching violin privately while in college and has run a successful Suzuki violin studio since. She has also had teaching experiences in both public and private school programs. Caitlin launched a sought-after violin program at Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts from 2015 through 2018. Previously, Caitlin taught Music Together classes for Richmond Public School Preschools, working with nearly 300 children each week.
An active performer, Caitlin performs with RVAStrings, an ensemble composed mostly of string teachers in the Richmond area. She also plays fiddle with her brother, singer-songwriter and frontman for the band AVAIL, Tim Barry. Caitlin’s two daughters are learning to play the violin. Daughter Grace has played in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program for the last four years.

Sandy Goldie
Conductor, Youth Concert Orchestra
Ensembles
Sandy Goldie

Sandy Goldie is Director of Music Education at Virginia Commonwealth University, President of Virginia Music Educators Association Higher Education Division, and serving as immediate Past President of the Virginia Chapter of the American String Teachers Association as the author of two popular books on string teaching and instruments. She is an active guest conductor/adjudicator and orchestra clinician across the United States. She is a frequent presenter at state, national, and international music education conferences such as Midwest, NAfME, ASTA, VMEA, ISAME, and TMEA. She takes great joy in working with the students of the Richmond Symphony Youth Concert Orchestra.

Melissa Jones
Conductor, Camerata Strings
Ensembles
Melissa Jones


Hae Lee
Associate Conductor, Richmond Symphony; Conductor, Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra
Conductor
Hae Lee

A Korean conductor, Hae Lee was the 2nd prize winner of the Kussewitzky Conducting Competition in Italy and the Finalist of the Besançon Conducting Competition in France. Hae was invited to the LEAD! Foundation’s masterclass in Finland and after it, he was selected as the young conductor for the final concert of the Fiskars Festival. In this concert, Hae shared the podium with Esa-Pekka Salonen, James Gaffigan, and Jukka-Pekka Saraste.
In the States, Hae served as a cover conductor of Marin Alsop for her concerts at Carnegie Hall. Hae also conducted at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall as an assistant for David Hayes and Mannes Orchestra when they performed Ives’ Symphony No. 4 which requires three conductors. Hae was a fellow of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and the assistant conductor of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Academy.
In South Korea, Hae was invited to the master classes with Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean National Symphony Orchestra, and Korea National Opera. He conducted operas such as Le nozze di Figaro, L’elisir d’amore, La Bohème, and Gianni Schicchi.
In Europe, Hae studied at Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg as an exchange student, and he has conducted Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, Orchestre Dijon Bourgogne, Orchestre Victor Hugo, and Orchestra sinfonica città di Grosseto.
Hae received his Bachelor of Artsin Conducting from the Korea National University of Arts, and he holds his Master of Music from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.

Dana McComb
Music Theory
Dana McComb

Canadian-born cellist Dana McComb has performed as a chamber musician, recitalist, and orchestral musician in venues across North America.
An avid teacher, Dana has held faculty positions at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and the Eckhardt-Gramatté Conservatory, and is currently on faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University and teaches privately in Richmond. She is the creator of the online theory program, “Theory is Fun RVA.” Her students have represented the state of Virginia in the MTNA Competitions at the regional level for both the Junior and Senior String divisions, and at the Nationals Finals for the Junior level. They have performed at Carnegie Hall, performed as soloists with the Richmond Symphony and the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, and have attended universities and music festivals around the world. Her students participate in all levels of the YOP program. Dana works regularly with the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program and the Youth Orchestras of Central Virginia, is sought after as a clinician in schools around Virginia, and has been a jury member of the state and regional level MTNA Competitions.
Dana holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where she studied with Irene Sharp and Bonnie Hampton, and an Associate Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music where she studied with David Hetherington.

Anita Williams
Education Coordinator
Violinist, Violist
Anita Williams

Anita Williams (She/They) is a violist, educator, and arts administrator passionate about making arts education more accessible. She holds a BM in viola performance from Shenandoah University where she studied under Doris Lederer. As a performer, Anita is passionate about expanding the classical music canon, and frequently performs with ClassicalRevolutionsRVA. Other performance highlights include studio sessions with DC based Foreign Air and local RVA artists. She also enjoys musical theatre, and has been a member of the pit orchestra for the Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre (SSMT) since 2017.
As a member of the RSSoM team, Williams acts as registrar for all RSSoM programming, coordinates day-of logistics for Discovery Concerts and Open Rehearsals, supports the YOP team, and is co-teacher for the first Youth Community Strings cohort. Prior to joining the RSSoM team, Anita served several positions in administrative capacities for the arts, namely within patron services at SSMT and in education with partnerships with the Shenandoah Conservatory Arts Academy.
Anita continues to be an active educator outside of RSSoM. She particularly enjoys coaching young string ensembles and leading sectionals for middle schools, high schools, and youth orchestras. Anita maintains a private studio of violin and viola students, and strives to make music making a joyful experience while pushing for technical excellence. When not teaching or knee-deep in spreadsheets, she can be found backpacking, rock climbing, and petting as many dogs as possible.