A strong believer in the importance of music education, Ms. Ben-Pazi has had the pleasure of directing the Orchestra program at Socastee High School and has served as an Adjunct Cello Professor at Coastal Carolina University and section clinician for the Long Bay Youth Symphony. Ms. Ben-Pazi began her professional training at the Thelma Yellin School of the Arts in Tel-Aviv, Israel and subsequently earned a BM in Cello Performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts and an MM Ed from Anderson University. As a cellist, she has been a mainstay of South Carolina's classical music scene for over two decades, serving as principal cellist with the Long Bay Symphony and section cellist with Florence Symphony, Charleston Symphony, and the South Carolina Philharmonic. As the owner of Strand Strings, Ms. Ben-Pazi provides private studio instruction and performs as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the Grand Strand and surrounding counties. She's had the pleasure of performing as a pit musician for Coastal Carolina University's Music Department and has recorded with Bickleigh Bridge, backed up Aretha Franklin, Bert Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, and The Moody Blues among others. Ms. Ben-Pazi is thrilled to have been invited to be the clinician for the 2024 Horry County Schools All County Middle School Orchestra working with your talented young musicians. 

Erik E. Hines is in his 18th year as the Orchestra Director at Sumter High School, Erik Hines continues to grow the outstanding program that currently has over one hundred students and three separate performing ensembles. The Orchestra also has an after-school gifted & talented program, along with a seasonal full symphony. The ensemble has also performed 3 times at the SCMEA State Conference, most recently in February 2020. The program has earned 14 consecutive Superior ratings at the SCMEA Concert Performance Assessment and is the recipient of multiple Orchestra Division Outstanding Performance Awards. As a percussionist, Erik works as a performer, composer, adjudicator, design consultant, and team member of many successful ensembles. His most current work has been with WGI medalist St. Martin Independent and multi-time WGI finalist Civitas Independent. He also composes marching band and indoor percussion music and drill for multiple ensembles across the state and southeast region, including several SC State Finalist bands. Mr. Hines received his BA and Master’s Degree in Music Education from North Greenville University. He is also a proud graduate of James F. Byrnes High School, where he performed in both the band and full orchestra programs. He has been a director, composer, and adjudicator of percussion, band, and orchestra for over 25 years and holds an educational endorsement from Vic Firth, Inc. He also currently serves on the Executive Board for the SCMEA Orchestra Division as the Past-President. Mr. Hines currently teaches Orchestra and AP Music Theory, has been a Top 5 Teacher, and was the 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year at Sumter High School. He was the proud recipient of the Ford Unsung Heroes Award in 2021. He currently lives in Sumter with his beautiful wife Allison and their Labrador Retrievers, Maximus and Scarlet