Greg Conway, Orchestra Director
Gregory Conway is currently Director of Orchestras at Windemere Ranch Middle School in San Ramon and Director of Instrumental Music at Charlotte Wood Middle School in Danville. Prior to this, he was the Director of Instrumental Music at William Hopkins Jr. High School in Fremont from 2005-2021. At Hopkins, Mr. Conway directed the 7th and 8th grade music classes at Hopkins including three concert bands, two string orchestras, two jazz ensembles, and a full orchestra. Prior to that, Mr. Conway taught elementary band in South San Francisco Unified School District from 2003-2005. Mr. Conway has been the band director the non-profit Jenny Lin Foundation Summer Music Program in his hometown of Castro Valley since 2007, and is slated to be the orchestra director for 2022.
Mr. Conway received his B.A. in music education and saxophone performance from California State University, Hayward in 2002. He also earned at M.M. degree in Instrumental Conducting from San Jose State University in 2023. Under his direction, the Hopkins Wind Ensemble was a featured performer at the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) State Conference in 2010, and the Hopkins Advanced Orchestra was a featured performer at the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC) in 2012 and 2017. Other performances included the CMEA State Band & Orchestra Festival, and the American String Teachers Association Nation Orchestra Festival.
Mr. Conway currently serves on the board of directors for several non-profit music organizations including CMEA Bay Section, the California Orchestra Directors Association (CODA), and the Jenny Lin Foundation. Mr. Conway is the 2016 recipient of the CMEA Bay Section Gilbert T. Freitas Award for Excellence in Instrumental Music Education, the 2017 recipient of the CMEA Richard L. Levin Outstanding Orchestra Educator Award, and the 2018 recipient of the CMEA Bay Section Outstanding Educator Award. More recently, Mr. Conway was named “Community Hero 2019” by the California State Assembly (District #25), and is the 2021 recipient of the Alameda County Arts Commission/Board of Supervisors Arts Leadership Award.
Matthew Fell, Band Director
Matthew Fell did his undergraduate studies at the BIOLA University Conservatory of Music where he received a BM in Music Education as well as Trombone Performance. During his time at BIOLA he studied conducting under Dr. Robert Feller and trombone with Dave Stetson of the Pacific Symphony. After student teaching at Kennedy High School in La Palma, CA he served as the Associate Director of Music at Downey High School where he taught band and choir for five years. In 2013 Mr. Fell received his Master’s of Music degree in Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University. From 2014-2016 Mr. Fell served as the Assistant Band Director at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, CA where he taught 9th and 10th grade bands, as well as jazz band, marching band, winter percussion and AP Music theory. In addition, Mr. Fell taught the 6th and 7th grade bands at Harvest Park Middle School.
From 2016 to 2023, Mr. Fell had the distinct privilege to serve as the Band Director at Serrano High School and give back to the program that inspired him to become a music educator. Since 2019 Mr. Fell has served as the High School High Desert Honor Band Manager for SBCMEA. In 2022 he served as the Band Manager for the CBDA All State High School Symphonic Band and the Golden State Honor Band. Mr. Fell is fully committed to giving each of his students a quality music education in an environment where they feel cared for and invested in.
Jason Sarten, Choral Director
Jason Sarten (he/him/his) joined the faculty of William Hopkins Middle School in the fall of 2022 and serves as Director of Instrumental Music. Additionally, Jason administers the Music at Hopkins after school program, which provides training for almost 200 4th and 5th grade string players.
Jason holds a bachelor of music from Abilene Christian University where he studied applied voice and a masters degree in music from Baylor University, where he studied applied voice and conducting with Donald Bailey (choir), Michael Haithcock (band) and Stephen Hyde (orchestra).
After completing his MM at Baylor Jason taught band at McLennan Community College and private voice at both MCC and the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. He also conducted performances of La Boheme, Le Nozze di Figaro and Yeoman of the Guard for UMHB and Capitol Opera North Carolina.
In 2003 Jason moved to Northern California to embark on an eighteen year career as a professional singer. Jason has sung with companies including San Francisco Opera, the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Sacramento Opera, Opera San Jose, Opera San Luis Opisbo, Pocket Opera and Lamplighters Music Theatre as well as with numerous orchestras and concert organizations. Jason was also fortunate to be a part of the chorus used at George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch in Marin, recording soundtracks to many video games and movies.
Even while singing professionally working with young people was a priority for Jason. In addition to working as a teaching artist with the San Francisco Opera Guild, he served as a stage director for Lamplighters Music Theatre. For Lamplighters Music Theatre Jason led performances of Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore and The Mikado at dozens of Bay Area elementary and junior high schools using mostly student actors and singers.
After watching the joy and growth his two sons experienced as members of Jenny Lin groups, Jason is thrilled to join the organization as chorus director this year.
Jenny Lin Foundation 