About the Director

Mrs. Samantha Oakley is a dedicated music educator and conductor from Fairfax County, VA. She has been shaping young musicians since 2012 and has served as the Orchestra and Guitar Director at Woodgrove High School in Loudoun County since 2015. Under her leadership, the Woodgrove Strings program has consistently earned superior ratings at the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) concert assessments, performing advanced repertoire at grades V and VI. Her guitar ensembles have also achieved superior ratings at the Virginia Guitar Directors Association (VGDA) concert assessments, demonstrating excellence in performance and musicianship.

Beyond the classroom, Mrs. Oakley has played a vital role in expanding musical opportunities for students in Loudoun County. In 2016, she founded the Woodgrove Symphony, providing young musicians with enriching symphonic experiences. She co-directs the ensemble and leads an annual Symphonic Tour of Western Loudoun County, where her students demonstrate instrumental music to children through live symphonic performances.

In addition to her work at Woodgrove, Mrs. Oakley serves as the conductor of the Loudoun Symphony Youth Symphonic Orchestra, where she mentors and inspires talented young musicians. She also collaborates to bring the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra to Western Loudoun County, broadening community access to professional orchestral music. Most recently, this collaboration resulted in the Discover the Orchestra concert, which brought in over 500 community members and featured more than 70 performing musicians and 40 volunteers.

Recognizing the need for early ensemble experiences, Mrs. Oakley co-founded Western Loudoun Spring Strings in 2022, a music camp that has introduced more than 40 fourth and fifth graders to stringed instruments.

An active performer and clinician, Mrs. Oakley is a violinist with the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra and the Friends and Family Chamber Orchestra (FFCO) in Fairfax, VA. She frequently adjudicates concert assessments across Virginia, guest conducts, and provides sectional coaching throughout the D.C. metropolitan area. She also maintains a private violin and viola studio, nurturing musicians of all ages.

When she’s not on the podium or performing, Mrs. Oakley enjoys attending concerts at venues ranging from the Kennedy Center to her alma mater, Shenandoah Conservatory of Music. However, her favorite performances are the ones given by her two daughters—Johanna (violin) and Pepper Ann (cello) who are both members of the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestras.