An orchestra of young musicians performing on stage with a conductor in front. The musicians are playing various instruments including violins, cellos, and wind instruments. The stage has a wooden backdrop and the musicians are dressed in blue shirts
A symphony conductor with a colorful jacket leads a youth orchestra to young musicians playing violins and cellos, all wearing blue shirts in a concert hall.
A youth orchestra performing in a concert hall, conducted by a woman in a colorful jacket. The orchestra members are playing string and wind instruments and wearing matching blue shirts that say 'YOLA Nation'.
Two smiling people, a woman and a man, standing together on a stage, with the woman wearing a colorful jacket and the man holding a violin. They are at a concert venue with an audience seated in the background.

Guest Conducting Appearances

  • American String Teacher Association National Orchestra Festival Adjudicator 2026

  • Orchestra Headliner Michigan Music Educators Association 2026

  • Orchestra Headliner Texas Music Educators Association 2026

  • Pinellas County Florida Honors All-County Orchestra Conductor 2026

  • Nevada All-State Middle School Honors Orchestra Conductor 2026

    • NC Music Educator’s Association Conference: Building Community through Accessible K-12 Repertoire 2025

    • Accepted into the International Conductors Guild String and Orchestra Educators Conducting Workshop led by  Maestro Michael Mistra and Maestro Sandra Dackow 2025  

    • Minnesota All State Honors Orchestra Conductor 2025

    • Guilford County All-County Honors Orchestra 2024

    • Montana All-State Honors Orchestra Conductor 2024

    • Las Vegas All-County Honors Orchestra Conductor 2024

    • Georgia All-State Middle School Honors Orchestra Conductor 2024

    • Milliard Orchestra Festival Conductor (Nebraska) 2024

    • Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, Chamber Orchestra Conductor 2023

    • NAfME Northwest Division 2023 Conference Orchestra Headliner 2023

    • Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, Chamber Orchestra Conductor 2022

    • California Orchestra Directors Association String Orchestra Conductor 2022

    • Reno All State Honors Orchestra Conductor 2022

    • NAfME All-National Honor Ensemble Masterclass Clinician 2021

    • Meals for Musicians (live cooking demo with F-flat Books) 2021

    • American String Teachers Association Workshop Leader 2020

    • Intercollegiate Music Association, String Ensemble Conductor 2019

    • Atlanta Centerwide Symphony, Guest Workshop Conductor 2014

    • Rockingham Middle School 2011

    • Hamlet Middle School 2011

    • Benjamin Zander String Quartet 2006

    • One Tree Hill – String Quartet Television 2008

    • Spiritual Awakenings 2009

Book LaSaundra

  • “I wanted to write this letter because you really motivated me this year. It was such a blessing and honor to have you work with us this year. When I first saw you introduce yourself to the orchestra; I was so excited and happy that this year's honor orchestra guest conductor was a person of color and a woman! In the all day rehearsal, I really liked you as a person. You are so positive and expressive and what I loved about you is that you had a great sense of humor and you acted yourself. I will say, you are one of my favorite conductors I have ever met. I will not forget about you. I really like the way you are so passionate about your job and it really motivated me to want to pursue music education. This is my 3rd year doing an honor orchestra and I will admit, this year I felt very engaged and I felt safe.”

    -Borggy O

  • "I want you to know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for the Allstate orchestra this year. It was my first year going, and I was truly hesitant to participate, but you made it worth my while in more ways than one. Your upbeat energy, positive personality, and funny character made the week go by in an instant! Thank you very much for all of your hard work and dedication, and I thoroughly look forward to working with you again in February!!"

    -Sawyer C

  • "Although I’ll be taking my bows as a senior this coming spring, the confidence I’ve been able to develop with the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra is something I’ll value for the rest of my life. It’s the same confidence that fuels my ambitions to graduate from college and become a surgeon, and it’s the same confidence that makes me believe that I could maybe even change the world."

    -Trinity W

  • "You were undoubtedly the best conductor I have had in the ~6 years I have been a percussionist. Thank you. I often find that people are comfortable with where they are in music and aren't willing to push their capabilities and what they are comfortable with; seeing classically trained strings improvising at camp was not something I expected to see. You are an inspiration. Since the first day, I knew that the All-State orchestra would sound great, but your leadership brought us to a level I didn't think was possible. Hearing about your stories as a kid and how much you have done for others through your orchestra and Sphinx was a life-changing experience."

    -Amartya B