Sherry Sykes

Sherry Sykes is Administrator for the nonprofit Friends of Music & the Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra in Shepherdstown, WV. As Administrator, Sherry assists the board with all administrative tasks to support the organization. This includes acting as the main point of contact for the public, processing ticket income, donations and deposits, assisting with the education grant program, and contracting musicians for the concerts, all with the help and direction of the board President and Music Director.

Sherry is the former Coordinator for the Community Music Program at Shepherd University School of Music in Shepherdstown, WV from 2016-2021.  She assisted students and parents in the community with music education on campus, including coordinating the Shepherd Community Orchestra and Youth Chorus, Early Childhood Music classes, and private lessons. She also coordinated Community music recitals and concerts by the Shepherd Community Orchestra, Jr. String Ensemble and Youth Chorus each semester. In addition to her regular semester program responsibilities, Sherry coordinated a summer Jazz Camp and String Camp every June for middle and high school age students.

Sherry has a B.A. from Hamilton College, with a major in English and minor in Music, and a M.A. in Arts Administration from Indiana University. She has worked for various arts organizations and non-profit educational institutions, including the Buffalo Philharmonic (1989-90), Chautauqua Institution (summer 1989), Heinz Hall (internship 1992), and Yale School of Music Opera program (1992-93).

Her experience includes serving as Registrar and Admissions Director for six years at Levine School of Music, Washington, DC, one of the largest community music schools in the country. During her time at Levine Music, Sherry, managed the registration process for the School’s four locations, and saw the enrollment grow to 3000 students and 100 part-time faculty. Sherry also served as Director of Annual Giving at Norwood School in Bethesda for two years, from 1999 – 2001.

Sherry formerly served on the board of the Jefferson County Arts and Humanities Alliance, Chairing the Teaching Arts Creatively grant program from 2010 – 2012. She is also active in her church, Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church.

Originally from Niagara Falls, NY, Ms. Sykes currently resides in Rohrersville, MD with her husband, professional jazz pianist, Robert Sykes, and her college-age children, Donald and Emily. She is an advocate for arts education for children and adults, and enjoys building partnerships through music in the community.