Sean Carlton is a cellist and music educator who grew up in Carrollton and Allen, Texas before attending Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Sean started his professional career as the director of orchestras for Madison Middle School in Abilene, Texas from 2012 to 2014. Sean then served at Newman Smith High School from 2014 to 2018; first as the Assistant Director of Orchestras, then as the Head Director and Fine Arts Department Chair at Newman Smith.
Sean has led both non-varsity and varsity groups in concerts and evaluations, including a performance of the Seven Lakes High School Symphony Orchestra as the 2020 TMEA Honor Full Orchestra, the Seven Lakes High School Symphony Strings as the 2024 TMEA Honor String Orchestra, numerous Mark of Excellence awards from The Foundation for Music Education, and distinctions from the American Prize in orchestral performance. Sean currently serves as President of the Texas Orchestra Directors Association Board of Directors.
Sean Kime grew up in Klein, Texas, before attending Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education, studying double bass with Dr. Sandor Ostlund and string pedagogy with Dr. Michael Alexander. He began his professional education career in 2014 as the Assistant Director of Orchestras at Stephen F. Austin High School in Sugar Land, Texas.
Sean earned a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Texas at Arlington, studying with Dr. Clif Evans. He served as librarian for the UTA Symphony, performed in the Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and tutored undergraduate and graduate students in music theory. Sean went on to serve as Director of Orchestras, Middle School and High School Orchestra Lead Teacher, and Performing Arts Department Chair at Elsik High School in Houston, Texas from 2017 to 2023.
In 2023, Sean joined Katy ISD as the Assistant Director of Orchestras at Seven Lakes High School. He is actively involved in the broader music education community and currently serves as Vice President of the Texas Orchestra Directors Association (TODA).
Ms. Samantha VanVoorhis joins the Seven Lakes High School Orchestra program with a deep passion for music education and a strong commitment to developing young musicians. Prior to this role, she served as Associate Director of Orchestras at Seven Lakes Junior High, where her ensembles consistently earned Sweepstakes at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Evaluations. She has also led her school’s First Year Honor Orchestra to receive the Best In Class award at the Anne C. Roberts Orchestra Festival.
She has also contributed as an organizer for the Region 23 Junior High Symphony Orchestra. Before teaching in Texas, Ms. VanVoorhis was part of a distinguished orchestra program in Indiana, where she helped guide her middle school students to Gold with Distinction ratings at the ISSMA Organizational Contest.
Ms. VanVoorhis earned her Bachelor of Music Education from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she studied violin under Dr. Brenda Brenner. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Conducting at the University of Texas at El Paso.
An active performer as well as an educator, Ms. VanVoorhis is a member of the Houston Civic Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed as a substitute violinist and violist with the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra and Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra in New York, as well as the Anderson Symphony Orchestra in Indiana. Outside of teaching, she enjoys biking and spending time outdoors.
