DIRECTORS

Zac Coudret is a graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelors of Arts in music education and has been teaching orchestra since earning his degree in 2010. Mr. Coudret has taught orchestra in the Eastern Howard School Corporation, the South Bend Community School Corporation, the Goshen Community Schools and currently teaches in the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation. Mr. Coudret’s wife, Christine, and their three wonderful children inspire him every day to teach and share music with his students and the community.

Mr. Coudret has worked with orchestras that have competed in the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) competitions, performed at the Indiana Music Education Association (IMEA) state conference and the National Orchestra Festival that is part of the American String Teachers’ Association (ASTA) National Conference. Mr. Coudret is a board member of Ensemble Concept/21; a non-profit new music ensemble with a focus on encouraging and inspiring young composers.

Outside of the school day, Mr. Coudret leads viola sectionals for the South Bend Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra and enjoys playing the viola in groups such as the Elkhart Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony of the Lakes. He also has previously been in the viola section of the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kokomo Symphony Orchestra. 

Ashlyn Graham is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelors of Arts in Instrumental Music Education. During her time at WMU she studied violin as well as double bass, and has performed on cello, piano, and french horn. Ms. Graham was a counselor at the Michigan American String Teacher Association (MASTA) Strings Camp and has performed with the MASTA teachers orchestra at the Michigan Music Conference (MMC). She also assisted with MMC headline presentations and was on the board of WMU’s ASTA chapter. Ms. Graham has taken groups to the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) Band and Orchestra Festival as well as Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Organizational contests and state competitions. She also led sectionals for the MSBOA District 7 High School Honors Orchestra and MSBOA’s Mid Level Strings Clinics. 

Ms. Graham currently performs with the Elkhart County Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the Gaylord Community Orchestra, served as a pit musician, and toured with the WMU University Symphony Orchestra. She is an avid composer and arranger and has had her work played by the WMU University Symphony Orchestra, West Ottawa High School, and at MASTA Strings Camp. She also enjoys fiddling and has worked with Grand Haven High School's fiddle group GOTAK.

Outside of school, Ms. Graham enjoys spending her weekends skydiving and with her family. She likes to travel, ride her motorcycle, play pickleball, snowboard, and play video games. Ms. Graham also has a cat named Maverick who makes it difficult for her to get any work done at home.