Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia

Artistic Staff

Symphony Conductor and Music Director - Helen Martell

Mrs. Martell is in her seventh year with Bay Youth and this year assumes the position of Music Director and Symphony Orchestra conductor. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1990 with a double Bachelors degree in Saxophone Performance and Music Education, she simultaneously performed in a professional saxophone quartet named Resounding Winds and established herself as a middle school and high school string orchestra director in Chesapeake Public Schools. As a saxophonist, she has performed with the Virginia Symphony and for the Virginia Arts Festival under the direction of JoAnn Falletta. She also performed with the Virginia Wind Symphony and served as the saxophone instructor for the Governor's School for the Arts. Mrs. Martell has conducted All-City events in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News and Virginia Beach and served as adjudicator for the District II Orchestra Festival. In the summer of 2003, Mrs. Martell participated as a Fellow in the Conductors Institute at Bard College in New York under the direction of Harold Farberman. Mrs. Martell has guest conducted the Virginia Symphony during the 2004/2005 season: with the Virginia Symphony Brass on the New Years Eve concert and with the Symphony for a Young People's Concert. In 2007, Ms Martell conducted the Virginia Symphony for the Beethoven Play-Along and a concert in Courtland, VA. Currently, she teaches string orchestra at the School for International Studies at Meadowbrook for the Norfolk Public Schools.

Concert Orchestra Conductor - J. Aaron Hardwick

Maestro Hardwick began his music career at an early age performing in venues throughout North Carolina and the southeastern United States.
He holds his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from East Carolina University.  While in attendance at East Carolina, he continued his studies on viola under the instruction of Ara Gregorian, Nicholas Cords, Yoram Youngermann, and Kelley Mikkelsen.  He studied conducting under the instruction of Hisao Watanabe and Dr. Scott Carter of East Carolina University.
He moved to Virginia Beach in 2007 and is now entering his fourth year as Director of Orchestras at Frank W. Cox High School.  Mr. Hardwick is a sought after guest conductor and clinician and has worked with youth orchestras all around the United States.  Recently, he has been invited to conduct the Xibus World Tour in collaboration with the Turtle Island String Quartet at Jordan Hall - Boston, MA. In 2011 Mr. Hardwick was one of 50 teachers in the nation, honored by Yale University to receive the Yale Distinguished Music Educator’s Award. He has also been recognized by Virginia Beach City Public Schools as an outstanding conductor and music educator.  In 2011, he proudly joined the staff of the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia as the new conductor of the Bay Youth Concert Orchestra.
He is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, the Virginia Music Educators Association, the American String Teachers Association, and the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association. Presently, he is on staff as resident session violinist, violist, as well as composer/arranger at Ripple Studios, recording studios located in Virginia Beach. Mr. Hardwick resides in Chesapeake with his wife Christi.  He is dedicated to the advocacy of orchestra and music programs everywhere and has spoken publicly at various venues throughout North Carolina and Virginia.
Contact Mr. Hardwick via e-mail at hardwick.byov@gmail.com

String Orchestra and Junior String Orchestra Conductor - Christina Morton

Mrs. Morton is a prominent Suzuki violin teacher in Hampton Roads and a violinist with the Virginia Symphony. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Science in Education from Old Dominion University. Mrs. Morton has taught for Norfolk Public Schools (directing string orchestra and the harp program), conducted local All-City programs, and served at Suzuki workshops as a clinician. She is the violin instructor for the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater, HomeSchool Plus at Ingleside Baptist Church and Park View Elementary School in Portsmouth. She joined the Bay Youth organization in 1994.

Administrative Staff

• Executive Director - Amanda Armstrong
• Operations Manager - Sara Cramer
• Librarian - Paula Bonds
• Concert Operations Manager - Kevin Genus

Board Members
2011 - 2012

President - Jonathan Lichtenstein (BYOV Alumnus)
Vice President - Jeffrey Phelps ( BYOV Alumnus)
Secretary - Cindy Bryan
Martin Barritt (BYOV Alumnus)
Muriel Evory
Sarah Ford
Mike Gentry
Marquetta Jones
Janet Kriner