About the Carl Sandburg Middle School Orchestras

Carl Sandburg Middle School is part of the Fairfax County Public School system, located in
Alexandria, VA, for 7th and 8th grade students.

Orchestra Director
Latoya Lamons received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro, where she studied violin with Dr. Rachel Vetter Huang and viola with
Michelle Lacourse
.  She received her Master of Music degree in conducting with Professor
Anthony Maeillo at George Mason University. Latoya was also a member of the University
Symphony Orchestra and BESK quartet. She currently performs as a freelance musician and has
performed with the Mount Vernon Orchestra.

Ms. Lamons is currently the director of orchestras at Carl Sandburg Middle school in Fairfax
County where her groups have received consistent superior ratings at District Orchestra
festivals.  She previously taught at South County Secondary School during the years of 2005 –
2009 and Carl Sandburg middle school during the years of 1997 – 2005 during which time her
orchestras received consistent superior ratings at District Orchestra Festivals and other festivals
taking place in Williamsburg, VA and Hershey, P
A as well. Her advanced symphonic orchestra
was selected to perform at the Virginia Music Educator’s Association convention in Norfolk,
VA in
November 2004.

Ms. Lamons has had the honor of guest conducting the JMU Spring String Thing, the Portsmouth
Junior Regional Orchestra, the Harrisonburg All-Regional Orchestra, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg
MS Honors Orchestra, Southeastern Regional Orchestra in Chesapeake, VA, District XI Junior
District Orchestra, District IV 7th Grade All-City Orchestra, Hendersonville All-County Orchestra,
Greensboro Middle School All-County and the UNC-Greensboro Summer Music Camp Junior and
Senior Orchestras 1999 – 2005.  In addition to guest conducting, Ms. Lamons has had the
privilege of adjudicating orchestra festivals in Chesapeake, Woodbridge, and Fairfax, Virginia in
recent years.

Carl Sandburg Middle School Orchestras consist of
String Ensemble, intermediate
Concert Orchestra, and
advanced Symphonic Orchestra

String and concert orchestra meets three times a week and symphonic orchestra meets five
times a week. Students are required to audition for Symphonic Orchestra. Auditions are every
May for incoming 6th grade students.

Students are expected to participate in after
-school events throughout the year including one trip
in the spring.

Incoming students
, please contact Latoya Lamons, Director, for orchestra specific questions and
requirements:
lclamonssloc@fcps.edu
(703) 799-6225

Elementary schools students came from
There are a number of elementary feeder schools located in the local Alexandria VA area,
including:  
Fort Hunt,  Stratford Landing, Waynewood, Bucknell, Belle View, Hollin Meadows,
G
roveton, and Hybla Valley.

High Schools Carl Sandburg students will go to
Most students will go to West Potomac High School
Mary Wilkerson, orchestra director
MLWilkerson@fcps.edu
(703) 718-2587

West Potomac High School
6500 Quander Road
Alexandria, VA 22307
Main Office Phone (703) 718-2500

8th grade students at Carl Sandburg can audition during their 8th grade year for Advanced
Orchestra at West Potomac.

Guidance from Ms. Wilkerson auditions from June 2010:
Students will need to play a 3octave scale -no need to be memorized- and an excerpt of their
choosing. The excerpt may be from school orchestra music, solo repertoire, or youth orchestra
music. The specific skills needed are confidence in shifting, vibrato, and good sound production.
Ms. Wilkerson is also available to hear auditions the week before school starts by appointment
for students who are absent or transfer into the pyramid. If you have any questions please don’t
hesitate to email
MLWilkerson@fcps.edu

Some students will go to Mount Vernon High School Timothy Gaffga, director of
orchestras
TFGaffga@FCPS.edu
(703) 619-3241

Mount Vernon High School
8515 Old Mount Vernon Road
Alexandria, VA 22309
Main Office Phone (703) 619-3100

Some students will go to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Allison Bailey, orchestra director
allison.bailey@fcps.edu

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
6560 Braddock Road
Alexandria, VA 22312
Main Office Phone (703) 750-8300
Orchestra Booster Website:
http://arts.tjhsst.edu/orchestra/index.php
Latoya Lamonds
Director
Orchestra Room
Voice Mail
(703) 799-6225

LCLamonsSloc@fcps.edu
Carl Sandburg Middle School
Orchestras    
Alexandria, VA
More About Fairfax County Public
Schools and community

Fairfax County Public Schools
Main Website

Direct link to the Carl Sandburg
Middle School Homepage on the
Fairfax County Public Schools  
Website
©  2009-2010
The Carl Sandburg
Orchestra Boosters