Our Directors
Sarah Ramsey
Sarah Ramsey is a graduate of James Madison University. She studied Saxophone under Professor David Pope. She was a member and section leader of the Marching Royal Dukes for four years. She marched in the 2008 Macy's Day Parade and participated in a variety of other performances while with the Marching Royal Dukes. Mrs. Ramsey was a member of the James Madison University Instrumental performing groups, including the jazz band and Wind Symphony. She has played in several musical pits such as “The Sound of Music,” “Annie,” and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” She participated in the study abroad program for the Festival International de Jazz Montreal. She has attended a variety of concerts, music festivals, conferences, and conventions. She was a member and president of Tau Beta Sigma, which is a band service sorority. She volunteered and oversaw several projects such as MRD crews, canned food drives, Toys for Tots, and Adopt a Highway.
Sarah Ramsey was born in South Jersey and attended Kingsway High School in Swedesboro. While in high school, she studied saxophone privately with David Cubbler. She was drum major of marching band, a section leader in both concert band and jazz band, a member of the chorus, performed in several drama productions, and was captain of the swim team. She performed with several university honor bands including Rowan University and West Chester University. Mrs. Ramsey was also a member of the Bonsal Blues, an American Legion Regiment Band.
Before taking over as the Director of Bands at Thomas Dale High School, Mrs. Ramsey was the 6-12 instrumental music instructor for Amelia County Public Schools. She tripled the size of the Amelia Band program in her three year tenure. While under her direction, the Amelia Band participated in VBODA State Assessment, The Festival of Music, and Longwood Honors Band.
Currently, Mrs. Ramsey teaches at Thomas Dale High School where she leads the Thomas Dale Marching Knights, the Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Band, and the Concert Band. Mrs. Ramsey is actively involved with the Center for the Arts. She instructs the second level of Musician’s Studio and coaches several small ensembles/soloists while participating in the Center for the Arts Saxophone Quartet. Mrs. Ramsey is also teaches advanced guitar at Thomas Dale. While under her tenure at Thomas Dale, the bands have received numerous superior ratings and retains its status as a Governor’s Blue Ribbon School. She has had students participate in All District Band, All Virginia Band, All Virginia Jazz, Senior Regional Orchestra, Governor’s School, the Greater RIchmond Youth Wind Ensemble, and the Greater Richmond Youth Jazz Ensemble. She currently has students studying music at Shenandoah Conservatory for Music, James Madison University, Peabody Conservatory for Music, Virginia State University, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Mrs. Ramsey is currently pursuing her Master’s in Music Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She plays the saxophone with the Commonwealth Winds and various other performing groups throughout the Greater Richmond Area.
Mrs. Sarah Ramsey
Christopher Pennington
Christopher Pennington is a graduate of James Madison University and studied clarinet under Drs. Anastasia Christofakis and Sarunas Jankauskas. During his time at JMU, he was a Section Leader and Drum Major for the Marching Royal Dukes, and a member of the JMU Wind Symphony under the direction of Dr. Stephen Bolstad and the Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Foster Beyers. With these ensembles, he has performed all over the east coast at many conferences and nationally recognized events such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) National Conference in Nashville, TN. He has also had the opportunity to perform works such as Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, “The Resurrection,” and A Child’s Garden of Dreams by David Maslanka with Maslanka in attendance.
After his time at JMU, Chris attended the University of South Carolina for his Master’s Degree in Clarinet Performance where he was also a Graduate Assistant for the Mighty Sound of the Southeast - The Carolina Marching Band. He studied clarinet with Professor Joseph Eller, and was a performing member of the Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Cormac Cannon. During the COVID affected semesters he was a part of many chamber ensembles that continued to play socially distanced including several groups in the Wind Ensemble and the Westover Winds Woodwind Quintet. In this time he performed many important chamber works such as Mozart’s Grand Partita and the Nielsen Quintet in addition to two solo recitals.
Chris Pennington is a native of the Richmond, Virginia area where he attended Hanover High School and was a member of the Marching Hawks, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble. He also studied clarinet privately with Ralph Skiano. During this time he was selected as a member of the Senior Regional Orchestra and twice as a member of the All-Virginia Symphonic Band.
Currently, Mr. Pennington teaches at Thomas Dale High School where he teaches the 9th Grade Concert Band, 9th Grade Beginning Band, 9th Grade Piano Lab, as well as the 11th and 12th Grade Musicians Studio courses for the Specialty Center for the Arts. During the fall, he also helps with the Marching Knights and works with the visual program and the hornline. Outside of school, Mr. Pennington maintains a small private clarinet studio in which his students have been placed into All-District Band and has had students qualify for All-Virginia Band and Orchestra auditions.