Hayden Denesha is a passionate conductor known for his intensity and his dedication to the education of audiences and young musicians. Hayden is presently the Artist-In-Residence for Elizabethtown College where he directs the college orchestra and serves as Director of Instrumental Studies. Hayden most recently served as the Loudoun Symphony’s Associate Conductor and continues to serve as Music Director of the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestras. Under his leadership, the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra program has become a cornerstone for Music Education in the State of Virginia. Hayden has also served as an Assistant Conductor for numerous orchestras such as the South Carolina Philharmonic, the Rock Hill Symphony, and the Peabody Youth Orchestra.

As an advocate for contemporary programming, Hayden has premiered numerous commissions and has been relied upon for his expertise in multimedia collaboration with orchestras. He worked on the U.S. premiere of Du Yun’s Where We Lost Our Shadows at the Kennedy Center and served as the Assistant Conductor for a Baltimore city-wide production of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass under the baton of Marin Alsop. He is trained in original performance practice techniques of accompanying silent films with live orchestra. In 2018, he was invited to Indiana University in partnership with the Jacobs School of Music to present the original score of Phantom of the Opera (1925) with renowned organ soloist Dennis James.

Hayden holds conducting degrees from the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University, the State University of New York at Fredonia, and the University of South Carolina, where he completed his doctorate in 2021. He has also studied and conducted at music festivals such as the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, National Orchestra Institute, Eastern Music Festival, Pierre Monteux School, and the PRISMA Festival in Western Canada. His principal teachers have included Marin Alsop, Joseph Young, Scott Weiss and David Rudge. Hayden also earned an undergraduate degree in Viola Performance and Music Education. He has held viola section positions with the South Carolina Philharmonic, Aiken Symphony Orchestra, and served as principal violist of the Southern Tier Symphony in Olean, NY. He presently resides in Baltimore, MD with his wife Mary Kate, his dog Snoopy, and is an avid Buffalo Bills fan.

Mrs. Samantha Oakley, a native of Fairfax County, Virginia, has been a dedicated music educator since 2012 and currently serves as the conductor of the LSYO Symphonic Orchestra. She has been the Director of Orchestras at Woodgrove High School in Loudoun County since 2015, where she has led the program to consistently earn superior ratings at the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association assessments, performing advanced string orchestra repertoire of grades IV, V, and VI.

Throughout her tenure in Loudoun County, Mrs. Oakley has made a profound impact on the local music community by fostering growth opportunities for young musicians. In 2016, she established the Woodgrove Symphony, offering symphonic experiences to young wind, string, percussion, and brass musicians, and has led the ensemble on tours across Western Loudoun County. In 2022, recognizing a need for an elementary ensemble, she co-founded Western Loudoun Spring Strings, a music camp offering fourth- and fifth-graders the opportunity to learn and perform on stringed instruments.

In addition to her work with LSYO, Mrs. Oakley maintains an active musical life. She performs regularly with the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra and the Friends and Family Chamber Orchestra. She adjudicates concert assessments across the state, and serves as a guest conductor and sectional coach throughout the D.C. metropolitan area. She also nurtures musicians of all ages through her private violin/viola studio.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Mrs. Oakley cherishes spending time with her husband and two daughters, who are both avid young musicians, and attending their youth orchestra performances. She also enjoys attending performances at her alma mater, the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music.

Since 2011, Drew Lisowski has been the orchestra director at Falls Church High School. During his time at Falls Church High School the program has almost tripled in student enrollment and three additional orchestra classes were added to the program. His ensembles have been consistently rated superior at state orchestra assessments and national competitions.

Drew was nominated for Fairfax County Public School’s Outstanding First Year Teacher of the Year Award and was featured on Apple 21’s Insight program for his work at Falls Church High School. He was also the 2022 Pyramid and School Level Outstanding Teacher of the Year for Falls Church High School. Under his direction the Falls Church High School Chamber Orchestra was invited to play at the VMEA Professional Development Conference in 2024.

In addition to his teaching duties at Falls Church HS, Drew is currently the conductor of the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra String Orchestra. He previously worked with the McLean Youth Orchestra conducting the Repertory Orchestra and serving as a conductor and sectional coach for the McLean Youth Orchestra. Drew was also on the artistic staff of the Youth Orchestras of Prince William from 2013-2019, conducting both the Primo and Repertory Orchestras. He is also a frequent adjudicator for orchestra assessments across the DMV area.

Drew received his Bachelor of Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory. He was named the Presser Scholar, an award given to an outstanding junior at the conservatory. He completed his Master of Music, Music Education Conducting Specialization at Colorado State University where he studied conducting with Wes Kenney, Dr. James Kim, and Dr. Rebecca Phillips.

Drew enjoys spending time with his wife Aubrey, their son Luca, and their great dane Peanut.

Ms. Sarah Geiger's musical journey began at the age of 3 when she started violin with the Buffalo Suzuki Strings. Through the years she pursued a variety of musical opportunities at the local, regional, and state levels, and upon graduating high school attended Ithaca College for Music Education, graduating in 2005. Ms. Geiger returned to Ithaca College in the summers from 2018-2020 and earned a Master's Degree in Music Education as well.

Currently, Ms. Geiger teaches for Loudoun County at Farmwell Station Middle School in Ashburn, VA working with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade orchestras. Additionally, she coaches Chamber Orchestra – an after school club for students that desire extra performance opportunities. She enjoys bringing students into the community for real-world music experiences, and collaborating with other schools.

Outside of school, Ms. Geiger is active in the Northern Virginia music scene as an adjudicator and clinician for All County Orchestras, Solo and Ensemble, and State Assessment events. She is currently the conductor of the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra (LSYO) Prelude Strings ensemble, and is also on the board of directors as secretary for The Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestra (TCSYO). Ms. Geiger plays professionally with the Maestra Ensemble and the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra in the first violin section.