The Orchestra Program

Shawn Roberts is currently the Orchestra Director at Passage Middle School in Newport News Public Schools, VA.  At Passage, he teaches Orchestra to 110 students in grades six through eight.  Under the Direction of Mr. Roberts, the Passage Middle School Festival Orchestra has achieved the rating of Superior.  Previously, he taught at Dozier Middle School and Saunders Elementary School in Newport News Public Schools, VA.

 

At Dozier Middle School, he taught ninety students in grades 6-8, and took a Beginner/Intermediate Festival Orchestra to a Music in the Parks Festival, scoring an excellent rating of 88/100, and third place of all middle school orchestras, including advanced orchestras from several different states.  At Saunders Elementary School,  he taught over 3500 students, up to 730 students each year, in grades kindergarten through five.  There, he directed over thirty musical performances, created a 120 student choral program and a ninety student after-school theatre company that produced official Broadway Jr. shows.  Theatrical productions include Seussical Jr., Willy Wonka Jr., Disney’s Aladdin Jr., and Honk Jr.

 

Mr. Roberts holds a Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia where he studied violin with Amadi Hummings and Leslie Stewart, viola with Jennifer Snyder and piano with Marilyn Forman. Past performances include ensembles such as the Courthouse Players in Gloucester, VA, the Old Dominion University Symphony Orchestra, the Old Dominion University Percussion Ensemble, and the Bay Youth Orchestra of Virginia in Norfolk, VA.   He has worked with several groups around the Hampton Roads area including the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia, the Peninsula Youth Orchestra, the Very Special Arts of Virginia and a beginning strings program at Parkview Montessori School in Portsmouth, VA.  Most recently, Mr. Roberts earned a Master’s of Education in Educational Leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA and is currently persuing his Doctor of Philosophy in Advanced Educational Leadership at Regent University as well.

 

Mr. Roberts currently holds the position of pianist at the Catholic Church of St. Therese in Gloucester, VA and accompanies and consults for area groups.  
 

Mr. Roberts is married to his lovely wife, Jennifer. They have seven children: Luke, Alexander, Stephanie, Caitlin, Zachary, Eoghan, and Juliette who all love music.

 

Mr. Roberts loves his career and works to be a positive influence for all of his students and colleagues.