About Sarah L Pearson, Conductor & Artistic Leader

Sarah is passionate about creating transformative musical experiences, and her work spans leading orchestras, designing innovative programs, and collaborating with incredible musicians. Over the course of her career, she has been fortunate to embrace remarkable opportunities that have shaped her artistry and leadership. Her journey has been guided by world-class training, inspiring mentors, and a deep love for music. Outside the concert hall, Sarah enjoys entertaining, cooking, running and learning about history, which continue to fuel her creativity and perspective as a conductor.

Current Focus

  • Founder and Music Director/Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus of Tennessee

  • Music Director and Conductor of The Cleveland Pops

  • Assistant Conductor of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA)

  • Professor of Music at Cleveland State Community College and Chattanooga School for Liberal Arts

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Career Accomplishments

Sarah’s journey as a conductor reflects her passion, leadership, and commitment to excellence. She is recognized as one of Chattanooga and Cleveland's most gifted young arts leaders and maintains a full calendar of guest conducting, education, and community engagement. Represented by Vida Art Agency in Zurich, Switzerland, she continues to expand her international presence across Europe and global footprint.

She has conducted distinguished ensembles such as the Buffalo Philharmonic, Anderson Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA), Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra, and many others. In 2024, she made her Carnegie Hall debut with the New England Symphonic Ensemble and Mass Chorus, and has been invited to return on May 2027.

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Musical Training

Sarah’s musical roots trace back to Virginia, where she began studying piano, voice, and flute at age five. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from Tennessee Temple University and earned dual Master’s degrees in Instrumental Conducting and Music Education from Lee University School of Music. She further refined her craft at the Juilliard School of Music, studying under renowned conductors and participating in masterclasses and festivals around the globe.

Sarah’s principal mentors include Maestro Robert Bernhardt, Dr. David Holsinger, Maestra JoAnn Falletta, Maestro Larry Rachleff, and Donald Schleicher.

Personal Life

Sarah Pearson’s family lineage traces directly to one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Harrison V, a Virginia revolutionary leader and signer of the Declaration of Independence, and 5th Governor of Virginia. Generations later, Sarah’s ancestors included two U.S. Presidents: William Henry Harrison, the 9th President, and Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd. Through her lineage she inherited a legacy not of titles, but of responsibility. This heritage is a call to service—particularly through music. As a conductor and educator, she aims to build bridges between people and art, to tell meaningful stories through sound, and to create experiences that are both excellent and human. Leadership, Pearson has learned, isn’t about control—it’s about inspiring connection, collaboration, and shared purpose. This sense of responsibility shapes every rehearsal, performance, and classroom I enter. Sarah’s mission is to leave every space better than she found it, helping audiences, students, and communities feel seen, heard, and part of something larger than themselves.