Howard County Youth Orchestras

sari o’bryan
co-director, Elementary GT Orchestra

Sari O’Bryan is the Director of Orchestras at Burleigh Manor Middle School in Howard County.  She has taught there for 11 years and was also the Director of Orchestras at Centennial Lane Elementary School and Clarksville Elementary School.  Mrs. O’Bryan has guest conducted numerous All-County Orchestras  and has adjudicated many Orchestra Assessments in the Maryland and Virginia Public Schools.

Mrs. O’Bryan is primarily a violinist.  She started lessons at age 5 thanks to Grover and Itzhak Perlman on Sesame Street.  She studied Orchestral Strings at Loyola University New Orleans and graduated with a Bachelor of Music.  She also has a Masters of Music from Boston University in Music Education.  

She lives in Columbia with her husband Colin, who is the Director of Orchestras at Reservoir High School and Co-Director of the Howard County Youth Orchestra, her son Eamonn who is a trumpet player and daughter Fiona who studies voice and musical theater.  She also has three cats, Chuck, Zoey, and Frank, and a bearded dragon named Maurice.

sarah lahan
c0-director, Elementary GT Orchestra

Mrs. Sarah Lahan currently directs the orchestra programs at Swansfield Elementary School and Manor Woods Elementary School. She is privileged to share her love of music and expertise in string technique with over 380 students in these two thriving programs. She holds Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education and Violin Performance and a Master of Music degree in Performance from the University of Maryland where she studied with Gerald Fischbach and James Stern. Prior to becoming a string specialist in Howard County Public Schools in 2017, Mrs. Lahan taught middle and high school orchestra in Oklahoma and taught violin lessons in private schools around the DC metropolitan area with the Music Kids program. 

Mrs. Lahan maintains a private studio in Catonsville with her husband, pianist Dr. Patrick Lahan. Her students perform frequently, are consistently selected by audition for regional honors orchestras, and participate in the ASTA Certificate Advancement Program. Mrs. Lahan is an active member of the MD/DC chapter of the American String Teachers Association.

Mrs. Lahan's favorite experiences as a performer have included attending the National Orchestral Institute, performing a solo in Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall, and performing a fully memorized and choreographed interpretation of Copland's Appalachian Spring with the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra. 

Mrs. Lahan lives in Catonsville with her husband, twin daughters Mary and Anna, and dog Henry. She enjoys cooking, exploring different cities with her family, visiting art museums, and going to concerts.

Katie Hunt
Co-Director, Elementary GT Sinfonia

Mrs. Hunt currently teaches Strings at Waverly Elementary School with Mrs. Kelly and and General Music at Burleigh Manor Middle School. In 2012, Mrs. Hunt taught Orchestra and General Music for four years in Baltimore County Public Schools, then transferred to Howard County in 2016. She taught Orchestra and General music at Thomas Viaduct Middle School from 2016 - 2022. Under her direction, the TVMS orchestra program grew from 50 students to 120 students despite the pandemic and earned Superior ratings at adjudications and spring competitions. She came to Burleigh Manor Middle School in 2023 to teach General Music and co-direct the Orchestra program with Mrs. O’Bryan.

Mrs. Hunt grew up in Howard County, Maryland and graduated from Glenelg High School. Her primary instrument is viola. She was the first recipient of the GHS Robert Connor Memorial Arts Scholarship in Arts and Athletics, and she received a full scholarship to attend Towson University. While at TU, she received the Music Department Talent Award in Strings in Spring 2011. Ms. Hunt is working on completing her Master's of Music Education at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. 

A frequent clinician and judge, Ms. Hunt has judged Solo & Ensemble Festivals in Howard and Anne Arundel Counties and previously judged the Maryland All-State Orchestra auditions for several years. She has coached viola sectionals for groups such as the Howard County Elementary G/T Orchestra, the Howard County Middle School Honors Orchestra, and the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Katie lives with her husband, Chris, and their dog, Lilo, in Columbia, Maryland. Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking with their dog, traveling, trying new food and restaurants, reading, and attending live concerts by her favorite bands.

Joseph Koenig
Co-Director, Elementary GT Sinfonia

Mr. Joseph Koenig, from Catonsville, Maryland, is currently the Orchestra Director at Glenelg High School. He has taught previously at Folly Quarter Middle School and Glenwood Middle School.  Mr. Koenig holds a B.M.E. in Instrumental Music Education and a B.M. in Double Bass Performance from the University of Maryland, where he studied under Rick Barber of the National Symphony Orchestra.  

Mr. Koenig has participated as a bassist in summer programs such as the National Orchestral Institute, the National Music Festival, and the DCBass workshop, and has performed in local orchestras such as the Symphony of the Potomac, the Prince George’s Philharmonic, and the Columbia Orchestra.  He also teaches private lessons for young double bassists.  In addition to being a bassist, Mr. Koenig loves playing guitar and banjo.  When not teaching or making music, Mr. Koenig enjoys camping, biking, and rock climbing.