Rockdale Community Orchestra

Sebastian Ottaplackal received a Bachelor's degree from Georgia State University, with additional coursework focused primarily on students with special needs.  Sebastian also received a Master of Education (M.MEd) degree from the University of Georgia.  Sebastian has a real passion for teaching students with special needs and has always wanted to serve students with learning differences in the education system. Most recently he has served two years as a teacher's aid in both MID and ASD classrooms in the public school system. He also tutors private violin students to general and special needs students at the Gwinnett School of Music.

Rita is primarily a cellist, and she has her bachelor of arts in music from the University of California. She also had the opportunity to study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has been teaching cello, violin, and viola since 1997, and has been with Music and Arts for over 20 years. She focuses in classical training.

Angela Dollar is an experienced educator and performer and founded the strings program at the Performing and Visual Arts Academy at General Ray Davis Middle School in Rockdale County.  She is currently the orchestra director and Davis Middle School and Heritage High School.  Mrs. Dollar founded and conducted the Rockdale Youth Orchestra in 2018 as an outlet for all string players to continue performing with a group of peers regardless of their high school choice or zone.  This group has matriculated to be the Rockdale Community Orchestra which accepts youth and adult string players, no matter training or experience.