A native Chattanoogan, Gary Wilkes is an alumnus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he received his Bachelor's degree in Music Education. After graduation, he attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and was awarded a Master of Music Diploma in Bassoon Performance. It was at Southern Methodist University where he studied conducting with James Rives-Jones, associate conductor with the Dallas Symphony and the Colorado Symphony. Over the past thirty-one years, he has taught both bands and orchestras in Texas and Tennessee. Currently, he is the orchestra teacher at the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences. For the past sixteen years, he has been the music director of the Chattanooga Symphony Youth Orchestras and the conductor of the Chattanooga Youth Symphony.

Gary has professional affiliations with the Music Educator's National Conference, Tennessee Music Education Association, East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, American String Teacher's Association, National School Orchestra Association, International Double Reed Society, Tennessee Education Association, Hamilton County Education Association, and the American Federation of Musician's - Local 80. He is currently the President of T.M.E.A. and is immediate past President of the Tennessee chapter of the American String Teacher's Association. He also holds membership in the Phi Beta Mu Honorary Band Director's Fraternity, and was recently honored as one of Tennessee's outstanding teachers by the Board of the Tennessee Governor's School of the Arts.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he is a bassoonist with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra and Director of Music at First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. The title he enjoys most is being called 'Dad' by sons Richard and Michael, and daughter, Kathryn.

Pam Wilensky has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Following graduation, she taught privately in Suzuki violin programs in Norfolk, VA; Washington, DC; Annapolis, MD; Naples, Italy; and Newport, RI.

While living in Italy, Pam found that using an American approach to teaching violin was challenging, as the traditional conservatory method expected by the Italian families involved only technical studies and scales. The language barrier presented a problem but was easily overcome; at the first concert applause greeted the students whose families were surprised to see them in the role of polished performers.

She and her husband, Nathan, a retired Navy Chief Musician, moved to Memphis in 1995. They have two daughters; Abigail - currently a graduate student at the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying violin performance and Suzuki pedagogy, and Leah - a junior at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, studying Music Therapy.

Pam has taught in the Suzuki string programs at the University of Memphis and Rhodes College. She is still on the faculty of the Community Music School at the University of Memphis. In 1997 she was hired as an Orff Music Specialist for the Memphis City Schools and after one year moved into her current position as a String Specialist. She is currently teaching at John P. Freeman Optional School and Central High School, where she has students in grades 5 to 12.

While teaching at J.P. Freeman the program has grown from 10 students to 67 students and the orchestra has been invited to perform twice at Walt Disney World. She has had students in the All-West Tennessee Honors Orchestra every year since 1998 and high school students in the All-State orchestra for the last three years.

In addition to teaching privately and in public school, Pam has been co-director of the Rhodes College Chamber Music Camp, and the University of Memphis Sounds of Summer. She also taught the String Methods class at the University of Memphis from 2007-08. Pam is a violinist with the Jackson and Germantown Symphonies and an active board member of the Memphis Youth Symphony Program.

"My goal is to expose my students to every opportunity to make music, whether it be a camp, youth orchestra, or a competition. I believe that every child has the ability to play at a high level, given the right circumstances and encouragement."