Meet the director

Devyn Wilcox, Director of Orchestras

Devyn Wilcox is the proud Director of Orchestras at Carter G. Woodson High School located in Fairfax, Virginia. Currently in her 11th year of teaching for Fairfax County Public Schools, Ms. Wilcox has also served as orchestra director at Rachel Carson, Franklin and Rocky Run Middle Schools. Orchestras under her direction, throughout her career, have garnered superior ratings from both state assessments and performance competitions. Ms. Wilcox was the 2023 recipient of the Virginia String Teachers Association’s Orchestra Director of the Year and in 2022, under her direction, the Rachel Carson Symphonic Orchestra performed at the Virginia Music Educators Association Conference in Richmond, Virginia. Ms. Wilcox is known for her enthusiasm in the classroom and her ability to grow and maintain large string programs. During her five years at Rachel Carson, she grew the program to include over 200 7th and 8th grade orchestra students. She currently teaches almost 170 9th to 12th grade orchestra students at Woodson ranging from beginning to advanced levels.

Additionally, Ms. Wilcox is passionate about providing meaningful access to music education for all students. Throughout her career she has worked with populations of English Learner students unable to take elective courses to provide them with opportunities to learn an instrument. During her time at Rachel Carson, what started as a bucket drumming class during the student’s study hall later evolved into a weekly beginning violin class. The endeavor later led to the school piloting a schedule that now allows English Learner students of all levels with access to taking an elective course. Most recently, Ms. Wilcox and students of Woodson Orchestras have collaborated with a nonprofit Music: Not Impossible to provide vibration harnesses that allow students and staff members of Woodson’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing community to experience live music in real time. The team is currently working to provide these vibration harnesses at all school performances and events and hope someday they will be offered at performing venues throughout the world. 

Ms. Wilcox earned her B.M. in Music Education and Cello Performance from James Madison University where she studied cello with Dr. Carl Donakowski and conducting with Dr. Robert McCashin. In 2013, she founded and served as President of the JMU Club Orchestra, an organization that provides university students who play a string instrument at any level the opportunity to perform in a string orchestra. The organization is directed by students enrolled in the university’s music education program and provides them experiences in rehearsing and conducting a developing string orchestra. 

Ms. Wilcox earned her M.ED. in Education Leadership from George Mason University and has served on several music curriculum committees for Fairfax County Public Schools and the Virginia Department of Education. She is also an active member of the American Strings Teachers Association and the National Association for Music Education.

Apart from teaching in the public schools, Ms. Wilcox spent 9 seasons as Assistant Principal Cellist of the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra. She also served on their Board of Directors as Secretary and Teacher Liaison where she hosted events to provide elementary students of Fauquier County with the opportunity to learn a string instrument. A native of Warrenton, Virginia herself, this program holds a special place in her heart. Ms. Wilcox now happily resides in Lake Ridge, Virginia with her family and bulldog Zoey.