Margaret Partridge, Director

Dona joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Principal Cello in 1981 and retired in 2022. She was the founder of Sempre Sonare, Co-founder of the Atlanta String Quartet, and an affiliate artist with Emory University.

 

She has been a private cello instructor for over 40 years. While in Atlanta, Dona was active with the Talent Development Program, one of the longest running music education diversity programs in the country, which trains young Black and Latinex students in music performance. She also taught at the William Pu Music Academy and Emory Youth Orchestra and coached for the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra.

 

Since moving to Durham in the summer of 2022, she has joined the Durham Medical Orchestra, played as a guest with the Lynchburg and Roanoke Symphony Orchestras, taught privately, and coached for the Raleigh Civic Symphony, Triangle Youth Music, North Carolina Chamber Music Institute and United Strings of Color.

Eric began his music career as Assistant Concertmaster of the Jackson Symphony in Mississippi, and played in the Jackson State University String Quartet. During his tenure there, Eric had the good fortune to meet William Grant Still and perform the premiere of his opera, A Bayou Legend. He joined the First Violin section of the North Carolina Symphony in 1975. Eric was the Concertmaster of the Durham Symphony for ten years.  He also served as Concertmaster for the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle and the Triangle Opera Theatre.  
 

An avid music educator, Eric taught beginning strings in the public schools in Jackson, as well as private students.  Today, he maintains a private teaching studio in his home in Louisburg.  Eric has taught at the Lamar Stringfield Chamber Music Camp, St. Mary’s College, Cannon Music Camp at Appalachian State University.  In addition, he has been a string coach for Triangle Youth Music and the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute.  Recently, Eric has been coaching for the United Strings of Color.

 

Eric and his family own a business called The Garden at Portridge specializing in native pollinator perennials.  He is currently restoring an original early one-room North Carolina house which will enhance his 18th Century house, Portridge, and the garden business. He is also a devoted student of the scriptures and gives weekly Bible studies in his home.