In our effort to justify music education to decision-makers, we focused on product over process—awards, rankings, and prestige—and accidentally undermined our true value. In this narrative-driven session, Annie Ray shares how her entire vision of music education shifted—from chasing external validation to building student-centered, process-rich programs that uphold high standards while meeting every learner where they are. Attendees will explore what happens when a school stops pulling music students for remediation and instead scaffolds support by using the Performing Arts model across the entire school. Each chapter in this session offers a story paired with a concrete, plug-and-play tool—ready-to-use strategies for inclusive instruction, student engagement, and building buy-in. From reducing chronic absenteeism to empowering students with significant disabilities, this session shows how music education can lead the way in transforming public education through connection, not competition.
Target Audience
Middle and high school music educators, arts leaders, and inclusive education advocates.
Additional Notes
Clinician Info
Annie Ray
Annandale High School
Annie Ray currently serves as both the Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair at Annandale High School (AHS) in the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system. Annie is an advocate for providing universal access to quality music education and is known for founding and developing creative opportunities to make music accessible to students of all demographics.
Her establishment of the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education division of Parent Orchestra annually teaches about 225 caregivers in FCPS to learn to play their child’s instrument and provides mentorship to upcoming music teachers. Annie also organized the Crescendo Orchestra program to make Orchestra curriculum accessible to students with significant developmental or intellectual disabilities. In April 2020, TEDx invited Annie to give the talk, The Sounds of Success, based on her approach in the classroom and what it means to meet all students where they are at.
Annie is a highly sought after keynote speaker and headliner at music and general education conferences, regular guest lecturer and artist-in-residence at the collegiate level, and an impactful performing arts policy maker at the state level. Her story is featured in an exhibit at the new Milken Center for the American Dream museum in Washington D.C.
Her accolades include being named the 2024 GRAMMY Music Educator Award winner, Yamaha “40 Under 40” class of 2025, recipient of the Dr. Alice M. Hammel Inclusion in Music Education Award, and a four time Teacher of the Year winner including the 2023 FCPS Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year for her work with historically resilient communities and equity in education. Annie is a frequent clinician and educational conductor, noted for her work in advocacy at the state and national level, and is the co-founder of Motherhood and Music Education.
Her mentors include Dennis Langevin, Brian Coatney, Dr. Elizabeth Chappell, Dr. Jaymee Haefner, and Naoko Nakamura. She is an active professional harpist, proud University of North Texas alumna, and currently resides in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Dr. Irving Ray and their daughters Eloise and Millie. Annie is an adventurer at heart, and her biggest bucket list item is to one day win The Amazing Race.