Ms. Sarah Russell, Director of Orchestras at PD, recently completed a landmark accomplishment in her career as she conducted her first All-State Orchestra. Though she has served as a clinician for numerous festivals, camps, and county/regional orchestras across the southeastern US, this is the first time Russell has been invited to conduct at the All-State level.

From February 3-5, 2021, Ms. Russell served as the clinician and conductor for the 2021 Kentucky All-State Commonwealth Orchestra. The group consisted of approximately 55 string students from across the state who were selected through audition. Russell accepted the invitation to conduct the group in 2017. Because of the current pandemic, the clinic was modified from a four-day in-person event to a three-day online/virtual format. 

Ms. Russell spent the clinic teaching students an advanced piece of music via a virtual platform. The performance will be digitally combined and presented as a virtual performance later in the spring. In addition to preparing and conducting a piece for performance, Russell served as a clinician for students and educators, sharing practice techniques, rehearsal pointers, and best teaching & learning practices with students and several music educators from across the state of Kentucky. 

2020-2021 marks Russell's 20th year in the classroom and her sixth year at Providence Day School.