South Carolina native, Jeff Watson, began viola lessons at age 12, in Jackson, Mississippi. He attended Interlochen Arts Academy, The University of Evansville, and The Cleveland Institute of Music. His studies included summers at National Music Camp, Meadow Mount and Brevard Music Center, where he met his wife of 43 years, cellist Mary Ann Watson. In addition to teaching public school strings for over 20 years, he taught home school students and conducted the string ensembles of Home School Strings, a school the couple founded together. 

Jeff currently performs with the Long Bay Symphony, the Hilton Head Symphony, and the Rock Hill Symphony. He says that “being a musician rewarding in many ways. Performing great music with wonderful people is something I treasure.”

Mary Ann Watson began playing cello at the age of seven in Baltimore, Maryland. She received her formal music training from the University of South Carolina, Southwest Missouri State University, and the University of Akron. A seasoned artist, she has performed solo, chamber and symphonic repertoire extensively for over five decades.  Together with her husband, violist Jeff Watson, the couple founded and co-directed Carolina Arts Academy and Homeschool Strings: arts and music programs for homeschoolers, for over ten years. A former adjunct instructor of cello at Columbia College and Principal Emeritus with the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, Mary Ann, who considers being able to play beautiful music one of life’s greatest joys, continues to serve as principal cellist with the Long Bay Symphony and performs regularly with multiple area organizations.

Steven Martinez is employed with Coastal Carolina University as music faculty instructing Electric Bass and Double Bass. In April 2016 Steven was honorably discharge from the US Army where he served in the ARMY Bands as a Bass performer for four years at Fort Bragg, NC.

Through this experience Steven has performed from Washington, DC, to West Palm Beach, FL, and abroad. Steven is also an active patron in the music community of Conway and Myrtle Beach, SC, performing with the Long Bay Symphony Orchestra, various music ensembles of jazz, folk and rock and private music instruction for students of ages 10 to 50.

As a Myrtle Beach native, Steven Martinez takes great pride in the opportunity to teach at his Alma Mater and contribute to the community in which he grew up in.

Jessica holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with a Performance Certificate from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance from Florida State University. Her teachers, respectively, were Rebecca Nagel and Eric Ohlsson.

Miller is the Principal Oboist with the Long Bay Symphony and the Fayetteville Symphony in Fayetteville, NC; she is also a frequent freelance player, most recently having the opportunity to play with the South Carolina Philharmonic in Columbia, SC and the North Charleston POPS! Orchestra.

Before moving to Summerville, Miller served on the music faculties at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and Coastal Carolina University.

In the Charleston area, Miller maintains an active private oboe studio and performs as a member of the Charleston Wind Symphony. She lives in Summerville with her husband Robbie, daughter Maggie and twin sons Nathan and Lucas.

Joelle La Rue-Gardner holds a certificate in the Orchestral Performance Residency Program at Carnegie Mellon University, where she also completed a Master’s in Music Performance in clarinet.

She has worked with students in clinics and private lessons from beginner through college. Joelle loves to share in her student's excitement to learn about music, and is inspired by their joy as they progress. Her students have performed with the Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall and sat top chair in the SC All-State Band.

She held the position of Second Clarinet with the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and currently performs as Principal Clarinet with the Long Bay Symphony.

Joelle has performed on many stages including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. 

A native of North Augusta, South Carolina, Patrick Herring’s primary teachers were Nancy Goeres, Peter Kolkay, and Carol Lowe. 

Patrick has also performed in master classes for Phil Pandolfi, Frank Morelli, Sue Heineman, and Judith LeClair. Mr. Herring holds the position of principal bassoonist with Long Bay Symphony in Myrtle Beach, SC and South Carolina Philharmonic in Columbia, SC; the latter awarded in May of 2016.  Patrick has performed with Symphony Orchestra Augusta, Charleston Symphony, and Hilton Head Symphony orchestras. 

While pursuing his master’s degree in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Patrick performed with the Akron Symphony Orchestra in Akron, OH and the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra in Wheeling, WV.  Patrick received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Performance Certificate from the University of South Carolina, and earned his Master of Music degree in bassoon performance from Carnegie Mellon University.

During his time at CMU, Patrick performed with the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic in 2009 and 2010 at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and was a finalist in the Silbermann Chamber Music Competition.

As well as performing regularly in orchestras in NC and SC, Patrick is a licensed massage therapist in South Carolina where he has been practicing body work since 2013.

Steve Skillman is the principal horn of the Long Bay Symphony, the Fayetteville (NC) Symphony and the Carolina Philharmonic in Pinehurst, NC. 

He is a frequent performer with chamber groups throughout the region, and has appeared in shows in Myrtle Beach with Burt Bacharach, Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis, and the late Ray Charles, as well as with many touring Broadway productions.

Mr. Skillman served as a teacher and administrator for thirty years in Brunswick County Schools, and taught horn at UNC Wilmington and UNC Pembroke.

He received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from East Carolina University, and is a former president of the Brunswick Arts Council.

Steve Kirkman is the Principal Timpanist of The Long Bay Symphony. He received his BM and MM Degrees from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where he was a student of Massie Johnson. Other teachers include John Federson, Larry Spivak, Chris Deane, and Carol Stumpf.

As a Timpanist, he has performed with many area orchestras, including Charleston, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Charlotte, and North Carolina Symphonies. As a percussionist and set drummer he has toured with the Dallas Brass, Gianinni Brass, and the New Century Saxophone Quartet, with whom he recorded Main Street USA on Channel Classics Records.

As a drummer Steve has backed many artists including Glenn Campbell, Ray Charles, Shirley Caesar, and Joe Williams. Steve played for the European Broadway Tours of West Side Story and Fame, playing on the European Cast Recording. He is a former head of Percussion at Coastal Carolina University, Limestone College, Greensboro College, and Winston-Salem State University.

Since moving to Myrtle Beach he has played in many of the theaters performing with The Gatlin Brothers, Crook and Chase, and The Alabama Theater Show. In 2001, he started the String Orchestra Programs at North Myrtle Beach Middle and High Schools and continues to teach at the Middle School Orchestra.

He lives in Myrtle Beach with his wife Anne, and their two daughters, Cecilia and Josephine.

Michael Knight is the principal percussionist for the Long Bay Symphony. Originally from Florence, SC, Michael studied at the University of South Carolina and also studied music at the University of North Texas. In addition to performing with LBS, Michael plays in a variety of places around the area including with jazz ensembles, orchestras and bands.

Over the course of his outstanding career, Dr. Johnson has distinguished himself as an exceptional teacher-educator, scholar, researcher, and author. Recognized by his peers for exemplary teaching, scholarship, and professional service, he is Professor of Music and Music Education at UNC-Wilmington. A graduate of the New England Conservatory, the University of Arizona, the St. Louis Conservatory, and Emory University, he earned a Ph.D. in Music Education as well as the Graduate Diploma and Master's Degree in Music Performance. As a multi-instrumentalist, Dan has distinguished himself as an orchestral, solo, and chamber musician by performing major orchestral works for over a decade as principal tubist of the Long Bay Symphony (Myrtle Beach, SC). He has also appeared with the national touring ensemble and Summit Recording Artist Carolina Brass, as well as the Cape Fear Brass Works and the UNC-Wilmington Faculty Brass Quintet. As a conductor, he instituted and directs Tuba Christmas Carols, OctubaFest, and TubaZalea Concerts throughout the Cape Fear region.