Professor Elizabeth Hornsby-Graham

Professor Elizabeth Hornsby-Graham is the newly appointed adjunct faculty music education strings specialist in the Dewberry School of Music of George Mason University. She is a highly accomplished orchestra teacher with over three decades of experience dedicated to student achievement and program growth in Fairfax County Public Schools. Prof. Hornsby-Graham has a proven record of leadership and mentorship, including coaching teachers, developing curriculum, and leading professional development initiatives. Her career is defined by a passionate commitment to equitable access to quality music education for all students and a strong focus on community engagement. 

Professor Hornsby-Graham's career within the school district began as an Orchestra Teacher, where she grew orchestra programs by over 100%, increased student retention and diversity, and developed high-quality music instruction that led to students earning superior ratings at VMEA music assessments. She also worked to begin the "Instruments for All" program to ensure students had access to quality instruments. She later transitioned into the Orchestra Resource Teacher role, where she provided individualized coaching to teachers, developed new curriculum and resources, and facilitated professional development for instrumental music teachers across the district. She is also recognized for her inclusive teaching practices, having attained fluency in Cued Speech to provide direct instruction to students in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program. 

A dedicated advocate for the arts, Professor Hornsby-Graham was a founder of the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education (FACE) to advocate for arts funding in Fairfax County. She was also the recipient of the Virginia String Teachers Association's 2024 Distinguished Service Award. She holds a Master of Education in Teacher Leadership from the American College of Education and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Rhode Island.

Adjunct Faculty 

• Music Education Strings

Degrees:

• ME, Teacher Leadership, American College of Education
• BM, Music Education, University of Rhode Island