Rosalind Evans

Rosalind-Denise Evans, BME, is an award-winning orchestra director, music educator, clinician, and arts advocate based in Southern Illinois. With more than a decade of experience in music education, she is dedicated to expanding access to high-quality string instruction while developing young musicians through excellence, leadership, and meaningful artistic experiences. Serving in East St. Louis School District 189, Rosalind-Denise launched the district’s first orchestra program in more than four decades, helping reestablish string education for a new generation of students. Over the past several years, she has intentionally cultivated awareness, appreciation, and enthusiasm for orchestral music throughout the district, building programs that not only develop musicians but also strengthen school communities and create lasting opportunities for student success. Beyond the classroom, Rosalind-Denise is the founder and director of the Inner Ear Youth Orchestra, where she provides music enrichment, mentorship, and performance opportunities that extend learning beyond the school day. Her professional interests include string pedagogy, music literacy, student leadership, equitable access to music education, and developing sustainable orchestra programs that empower students and strengthen communities. Her leadership has been recognized through numerous honors, including the Illinois State Board of Education’s Those Who Excel Award and the 2021 Art and Education Teacher of the Year Award. She currently serves on the Illinois Arts Council and as the Member-at-Large Representative to the NAfME Council for Orchestral Education, where she is committed to supporting educators, strengthening orchestra programs, and advancing equitable access to string education nationwide. Whether teaching in the classroom, leading an ensemble, mentoring fellow educators, or advocating for the arts, Rosalind-Denise believes the next generation of musicians deserves teachers who see potential before students see it in themselves. She is guided by the philosophy she has shared with every new class for more than a decade: “The only thing separating you from your goal is time—and time is relative.”