Dr. Sarah Waters, Music Director
Lima Area Youth Orchestra
director
ConductorS & Staff
Dr. Sarah Waters, Music Director
Dr Sarah Waters is an Associate Professor of Music at Ohio Northern University, and is also the Director of the ONU Annual Summer Music Camp. A native of Lima, Ohio, she has aBachelor of Music Education from Ohio Northern Univeristy, a Master of Music from Western Michigan University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from The Ohio State University. She performs with the Lima Symphony Orchestra, and has been the President of the Ohio Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. Waters is currently the Director of the ONU Chamber Winds, a select group of musicians that perform new music written for wind ensembles.
She has written several articles in Percussive Notes from her research and performance experiences in Africa, China, South America, Europe, and the Caribbean. She also has published music for percussion with C. Alan Publications and Per-Mus Publications. Together with her colleague, Dr. David Kosmyna, their CD, "Shreds: Music for Trumpet and Percussion," was released through Centaur Records in 2015. "Duoma," Waters' percussion duo with Dr. Renee Keller, recently performed at the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy and the Women in Music Conference.
She and her husband, Rob (ONU History Department) have two boys: Donald (16) and Robby (14).
Joseph MacBenn, Assistant Conductor & Manager
Joseph MacBenn is beginning his second year with the Lima Area Youth Symphony Orchestra. As an educator in the Lima City School District, Joseph has been a valued member of the String Orchestra Faculty since 2001 and works with string orchestra students grades 5-12.
Mr. MacBenn an extensive history of musical study and performance including 35 years of violin and over 20 years on a variety of brass instruments. A lifelong learner, MacBenn has pursued higher level musicianship through study with celebrated chamber musicians like the Miró String Quartet, pianist Roman Rudnytsky, and and has attended masterclasses with the famed American violinist Darol Anger.
Mr. MacBenn received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Mount Union in 2001 and continued on to earn a Master’s degree in Education from Ohio Northern University in 2005. He returned to the University of Mount Union in 2015 to successfully complete a Master of Educational Leadership.
Joe lives in Lima with his wife, Melissa, their daughter Megan, and two cats: Snickers, and Reecey. He looks forward to working with so many great musicians from the area and is thankful for the opportunity.
Lima Area Youth Orchestra
director