Meet the Directors
Mr. Benjamin Petree
Director of Orchestras
Mr. Benjamin Petree is the Director of Orchestras at Ronald Thornton Middle School. Our program constantly collaborates with the directors at Baines Middle School, Crawford High School, and Ridge Point High School to ensure the Sienna Orchestra students have a meaningful and educational musical experience that creates a sense of community over the course of their seven years.
Mr. Petree is originally from Plano, TX, where he fostered a love for music through the exceptional orchestra programs at Carpenter Middle School, Clark High School, and Plano Senior High School. The support and encouragement of his directors inspired him to pursue music at the University of Houston, where he studied Music Education and Composition. Mr. Petree credits his success to the mentorship of his teachers, including Mr. Wayne Brooks, Dr. Rob Smith, Dr. Erin Hansen and Maestro Franz Krager. The positive impact of music on his life is what ultimately led him to pursue a career in music education, with the goal of giving back to his community and cultivating a healthy appreciation for the arts among young musicians.
When he is not teaching or playing viola, Mr. Petree enjoys spending time reading, walking, practicing piano, traveling, listening to new music, going to the symphony, and spending time with friends and family.
Praised as “untimid and determined with a brilliancy of effervescence (ConcertoNet), Taiwanese-American harpist Chen-Yu Huang is an active performer, teacher, and arranger resides in San Antonio, TX. Among many recognitions, she is the winner of the Krannert Debut Artist Award 2010 and a recipient for Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship 2010-2011, of both prizes she is the first harpist ever to be awarded. She served at Michigan State University College of Music as the harp professor from 2014-2023 and has given masterclasses at various institutions including University of Illinois, Arizona State University, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, Roosevelt University, University of Texas in Austin, and various chapter of American Harp Society. She has judged in competitions such as Camac Prize Taiwan, American Harp Society National Competition, Michigan Young Artist Festival and was the curator of Michigan All-State harp audition materials. Huang is the executive director of Capitol Harp Ensemble, a non-profit organization she founded in 2022 with the mission of providing affordable harp classes to the communities in Greater Lansing, MI.
As an avid ensemble musician and collaborator, Huang served as the principal harpist of Ann Arbor Symphony from 2016-2023, Jackson Symphony Orchestra from 2017-2023, and Illinois Symphony from 2012-2018. She is the harpist with Formosa Trio (with flutist Pei-San Chiu and violist Tze-Ying Wu) and has performed across the Midwest and internationally. While in Michigan, she also play with Accorda Trio with violinist Fangye Sun and cellist Daniel Tressel. Since moving to Texas in August 2023, she has performed with Victoria Symphony Orchestra, the Heart of Texas Concert Band, and Texas State University.
Huang enjoyed composing pedagogical pieces and arranging music. Currently her works are published through HappyString Music. Her first album with Formosa Trio- The First Impression (“invites us not just for a ride, but on an adventure, requiring all senses”- Harp Column), which also includes several of her arrangements.
Huang received Doctoral and Master degree of harp performance from University of Illinois, and her bachelor degree in piano performance from National Taiwan Normal University. Her harp mentors include Ann Yeung, Shannon Chieh, Chi-Mei Hung, and Bi-Ya Lin.
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