HCYO Personnel

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Hill Country Youth Orchestras
Personnel (Click on highlighted name for biographical profile.)
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Board of Directors

Edward Toll, President
Graydon Vaught, Vice- President
Pat Browne, Secretary
Alan Massey, Treasurer
Lynda Ables,  Facilitator
Laura Shrader, Staff Assistant
Alice Brook
Dayna Cartwright
Steve Clack
Debbie Cullen
H.D. Maxwell
Jan Schmidt
Sylvia Sieker
Kathleen Vincent

Faculty

Patricia Lee,
Kathleen C. Cailloux Director of Education and 
Hill Country Youth Orchestra Conductor Chair,
Orchestra Conductor, String Teache
Gail Plaxico,
Orchestra Conductor, String Teacher
Jonathan  Raveneau, 

Orchestra Conductor, String Teacher
Maggie Raveneau,
 Orchestra Conductor, String Teacher
Basel Sarweh,
Clinician, Cello Teacher

HCYO Board of Directors and Faculty
Biographical Profiles (Presented in no particular order)
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Lynda Ables has been Director of Music at the Kerrville First United Methodist
Church since 1978. During that time she has developed the program to include its
present choirs, orchestras and ensembles. In 1998 she led a choir from the church
on a two week tour of England and in the following years to Italy, Ireland,  Germany,
Austria and Switzerland. Ables is a past conductor of the Kerrville Community
Chorus and has taught music on the college level, at elder hostels and for numer-
ous clinics and retreats. She is a past president and life-time board member of the
Kerrville Performing Arts Society and is the founder and facilitator of the Hill
Country Youth Orchestras. She is a past member of the Board of Directors of the
Hill Country Arts Foundation and is a graduate of Leadership Kerr County. Ables
was honored as Kerrville's Outstanding Woman of the Year in 1989. In 2000, Lynda and
her husband, the Hon. Stephen B. Ables were honored as Kerrville's Citizens of the Year.
Lynda Ables is founder of the Kerrville Community Messiah Sing and the Community Patriotic Sing
held each July 4th. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master's
degree in Music History and Theory.

 In 2002, for her life of love and devotion to Jesus Christ and the music program of
First United Methodist Church, Kerrville, Lynda was honored with the Lynda Ables
Scholarship Fund.  The scholarships are available for her use for youth in the
church. Lynda says she feels blessed to have the wonderful opportunity to help
these young people with their desire to further their music abilities. This
scholarship is open for contributions from anyone who would like to honor Lynda
and help the youth of the church reach their music goals.

            In 2002, Jonathan Raveneau graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the
 Visual and Performing Arts in Dallas, Texas.  During his four year student career, Jonathan studied both
 Visual Arts and Music.  During that same year, Jonathan received a full scholarship to Baylor University and
began his college career in August of 2002.  While at Baylor, Jonathan performed in the Baylor Symphony, Temple
Symphony, San Angelo Symphony and the Waco Symphony.  With the Baylor Symphony Jonathan went to Costa Rica\
in 2004.  He also went to Costa Rica in 2006 with the Baylor Jazz Ensemble.  With Baylor's budding Jazz Program, 
Jonathan participated in master classes led by Fred Sturm, John Faddis, maria Schneider and Wycliffe Gordon. He
also was a founding member of the Baylor Jazz String Quartet.  Jonathan completed his four-year Baccalaureat in 
Music Performance with an emphasis in Classical Viloin in 2006.
             Also in 2006, Jonathan received a full scholarship to University of Miami and began his graduate
career in August of 2006.  AtUM, Jonathan studied Classical and Jazz Violin with Glenn Basham and studied 
Jazz Vocal with Dr. Rachel Lebon.  He has performed in such groups as:  Overthetop, Jass Vocal 1, University of
Miami Orchestra, University of Miami Jazz String Quartet, Shades of Six, Strings Unwound, the Clark Chamber
Players and the University of Miami Studio Jazz Band.  That same spring, Jonathan went to Costa Rica with the 
six-man jazz vocal accapella group:  Overthetop.  In the fall of 2007, Jonathan participated in a master class
with Casey Driessen and in January, 2008, guest performed with the Rock Orchestra, Rochestra, in Sioux City,
Iowa.  In December, 2008 Jonathan will be the first graduate student from University of Miami to receive a Masters 
in Jazz Violin.
                   

                                                                    
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Patricia Lee is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music with a degree in Music and Violin Performance. Her post-graduate studies in Conducting, Music Education and Child Development were at the University of Houston and the Ohio Montessori Training Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. Ms. Lee's teaching experience includes elementary strings education in the Houston Independent School District at the arts magnet program for Lovett Elementary, Suzuki Strings Director for the Post Oak Montessori School in Houston, Texas, orchestra director for North East Independent School District in San Antonio at Krueger Middle School and Madison High School, and Director of Education and Conductor of the Capriccio and Sinfonietta Orchestras for the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio. In addition to teaching, Ms. Lee is an avid lover of chamber music and is the founder and first violinist of the Oak Leaf Quartet. She is also a member of the Symphony of the Hills in Kerrville, Texas and is working with Kerrville Independent School District as the strings teacher.

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In 1992, Maggie Fleetwood Raveneau began cello lessons in Kerrville, TX, becoming one of th first non-violin students in the area. Shortly thereafter, Maggie became principal cellist for the HCYO and held that position until 2001 when her family moved to San Antonio, TX. At the age of 12, she became a founding member of the Seraphim Strings Quartet that performed throughout Central Texas. As part of her church worship team, Maggie performed at the Kerr County Juvenile Dentention Center and several local nursing homes, as well as volunteering at her chruch as a Sunday School Teacher. Maggie also participated in the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio and the Symphony of the Hills. In 2002, Maggie graduated from North East School of the Arts in San Antonio with a double major in Visual Arts and Instrumental Music. That same year, Maggie was invited to audition at Baylor University and received a substantial music scholarship and academic scholarship to Baylor University. While at Baylor, Maggie performed in the Baylor Symphony, Temple Symphony and the San Angelo Symphony. Maggie was also a founding member of the Baylor Jazz String Quartet. Maggie commpleted her four-year Baccalaureate in Music Performance with an emphasis in Classical Cello in 2006

Maggie received her Texas Certification in Music EC-12 in the summer of 2006. In August of that year, she began her teaching career as Choral Director/Music History instructor at Harlandale High School in San Antonio.

In the Spring of 2008, Maggie resigned her position at Harlandale ISH to begin her career as a full-time cellist, free-lance musician and private music instructor.

Jonathan Raveneau, Conductor and String Teacher

Violinist/Violist Gail Plaxico is a musician with extensive playing and teaching experience. With a degree in Music Education with a specialty in strings, she has taught in strings programs in South Carolina and Texas, created a string program in Kentucky, and taught private lessons for violin and viola in Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and Texas. She has been a member of the South Carolina Music Educators Association, the Kentucky Music Educators Association, The American String Teachers Association, The National School Orchestra Association, The Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and the Texas Music Educators Association. In each of her locations she has always been involved in performing ensembles--Symphonies, Chamber Orchestras, Quartets, and Trios--as a violinist and a violist. In addition to her classical repertoire, Ms. Plaxico has enjoyed playing with legendary country singer Ray Price, The Sisters Morales, Gypsy Caravan, Salon Mexico, and the Fredericksburg Theater Company.

Laura has served on the board of HCYO, Inc. since its inception. A charter member,
she was the Secretary and is currently Staff Assistant on the Board of Directors.

A native Texan, Laura moved to Kerrville with her family in 1995. She earned a
degree in child development from the University of Texas at Austin and has
worked in early childhood for 25 years. She held teacher, director, district manager
and trainer positions with KinderCare Learning Centers, Inc. during her 17 years
with them. She is currently the part-time business manager for Children's Ark of
First United Methodist Church.

Laura's musical background is in the vocal and choral arts. Church and school
choirs have been a part of her life since she was five years old. She currently
sings in the First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir. She is a soloist for the
church and for the Kerrville Community Messiah Sing. Directing the Cherub Choir
and teaching the 2 and 3 year old Sunday school class keeps her in touch with
the children.

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Hill Country Youth Orchestras
321 Thompson Drive - Kerrville, TX 78028 - Phone (830) 257-0809 - FAX (830) 257-0835
Email info@hillcountryyouthorchestras.com
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