WSSYO Conductors & Staff
Margaret Rehder leads our talented students in rehearsals and concerts each year. Each conductor brings a wealth of experience in musicianship and education, guiding their respective orchestras to their full potential performance after performance.
Margaret Rehder
Youth Symphony & Youth Philharmonic Conductor
Margaret Rehder was named conductor of the Winston-Salem Youth Philharmonic in 1999. Beginning in 1983, Margaret has led outstanding orchestra programs at R.J. Reynolds High School and Wiley Middle School until her retirement in 2020. She was named Teacher of the Year for 2002 – 2003. She is a Nationally Board-Certified Teacher and is very active with the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Strings Teachers Association and the North Carolina Music Educators Association. Ms. Rehder has been a member of the Winston-Salem Symphony since 1979 and is currently Assistant Principal Second Violinist. She earned a Bachelor of Music in violin performance at Meredith College, a Master of Music from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and studied music education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Sara Beth Lane
Education Programs Manager
Sara Beth is an enthusiastic arts administrator and music educator. Most recently, she served as the Youth Orchestra and Education Projects Manager for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. She is an alumna of the League of American Orchestra’s Essentials of Orchestra Management program through Juilliard Extension. Sara Beth earned her Master’s degree in Arts Administration from Florida State University and her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Murray State University.
Auditions
The Youth Orchestras Program regularly holds auditions in late August for the following academic year, and also holds a Summer Festival in June and an Audition Workshop in July/August.
Conductors & Staff
Each conductor brings a wealth of experience in musicianship and education, guiding their respective orchestras to their full potential performance after performance.
History
Founded in 1973 under the auspices of the UNC School of the Arts, the Youth Orchestras became an official part of the Winston-Salem Symphony Association in 2007.
2025/2026 Concerts
The Youth Orchestras perform several times throughout the year in exciting programs that are as fun to hear as they are to play:
Mar 28, 2026: Concert for Community (YS)
May 11, 2026: Spring Finale