Rachel Holmes Watson

Rachel Watson, currently the Winston-Salem Symphony’s Senior Director of Education, Engagement & Inclusion, first joined the Winston-Salem Symphony staff as the Piedmont Learning Academy of Youth (P.L.A.Y.) Music Program Manager and Lead Teaching Artist in July 2018. “Ms. Rachel,” as she is often called by her students and families, taught violin to K-5th grade students at Diggs-Latham Elementary, Old Town Elementary, and Jefferson Elementary in Forsyth County. Last year, she helped start the P.L.A.Y. Music Program at Easton Elementary School, in which every kindergartner learned to play the violin. In her new role as Education Director, Rachel continues to teach kindergarten and first grade at Easton, manage her P.L.A.Y. Music Teaching Artists, communicate with parents, create lesson plans, and run concerts, while also continuing to work closely with the teachers and administrators in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System. Additionally, she serves as Assistant Conductor for the Premiere Strings and Chamber Sinfonia ensembles of the Winston-Salem Symphony’s Youth Orchestras Program.

Rachel, a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, received her Undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Prior to working with the Symphony, she taught K-12th grade music in the NC public school system for fifteen years in Forsyth and Guilford Counties. During her tenure in the public school systems, Rachel had the opportunity to teach orchestra, band, chorus, and general music. While teaching at Southeast Middle School in Forsyth County, she grew her middle school orchestra program from 50-200 students. In Guilford County, Rachel’s high school orchestras from Northwest Guilford were invited to perform for the state superintendent brunch at UNCG and open for the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. Her middle school students have consistently received superior ratings at the Music Performance Adjudication (MPA) Festival, and her high school students have received superior and excellent ratings.

Rachel involves herself in many professional activities and duties, which highlight and enhance her professional career. Rachel, a trained Suzuki teacher, authored and received the Sam and Anne Booke Professional Development Grant, which helped fund the Suzuki training she received. She also authored and received a second grant, awarded to her by the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce, allowing her to purchase African djembe drums for her sixth-grade general music classes. She has lead and coordinated All-County Orchestra and North Carolina Junior Western Region All-State Orchestra clinics. Additionally, she has also held the position of lead orchestra teacher for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools system, and conducted the NC Jr. Western Region Orchestra. She has also been invited to serve as a guest clinician/conductor for the Jr. Eastern Region Orchestra clinic and All-County Orchestra clinics within North Carolina.