Dr. LaSaundra Belcher, Founder
LaSaundra Belcher, Founder
Integrity Strings is a registered music booking agency founded in 2005, by LaSaundra Belcher. She is a living testimony that "with GOD all things are possible" (Matt.19:26, KJV). Belcher was raised in a single parent home. Her mother worked at a gas station for over twenty years to provide for Dr. Belcher and her older sister. When Belcher entered the fourth grade, she volunteered to participate in her school's pilot orchestra program. Belcher did not know that playing the cello would ignite a passion for learning and serve as the foundation upon which her call to teach would be birthed. She has over 33 years of performance experience. Belcher is a National Board Certified orchestra teacher, inventor, author, conductor, and arts administrator. School Band and Orchestra Magazine named her one of 50 Directors Who Make A Difference. Dr. Belcher has 21 years of experience teaching and conducting orchestra at the elementary, middle, high, and collegiate levels. Performing ensembles under Belcher's leadership, received superior ratings in adjudicated music festivals and competitions.
Dr. Belcher has a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University, a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership, an advanced education specialist degree in Educational Leadership, a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Music from North Carolina Central University. She studied with Dr. Timothy Holley, Alex Ezerman, Jesse L. Suggs, Jr., Kellie Keiser, and Jennifer Wernicke. Belcher previously served as a lecturer for music education at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill and was Director of Strings at Winston-Salem State University. Belcher serves as an adjunct assistant professor at Shenandoah University and is also project grant manager for the National Association of Music Education’s Connected Arts (CAN) Network, where she oversees the professional development for a national cadre of teacher leaders. Belcher is Chair of the National Association for Music Education’s Council for Orchestral Education.
Belcher is a 2023 graduate of Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women in Business program. She is an alumnus of Sphinx LEAD (Leaders in Excellence, Arts & Diversity), who is known for anchoring discussions on how to make public school orchestra programs more equitable, diverse, and inclusive to all students. Her most recent speaking engagements include Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege Division, Sphinx Connect, the National Association for Music Education’s Town Hall, and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Belcher’s dissertation Factors that Influence the Status of K-12 String Orchestra Programs in North Carolina Public Schools was the first of its kind to focus specifically on string orchestra programs in North Carolina.
Belcher has a successful history of establishing diverse, equitable, and inclusive programs at the elementary, middle, high school, and collegiate levels. She founded the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra (2013), a non-profit organization that provides expert orchestral instruction and free instruments to youth where orchestra opportunities are limited or do not exist. In her tenure, Belcher has grown the organization from 3 students to over 500 Pre-K through 12th grade students across Wake, Franklin, and Vance counties. In April 2021, Belcher received the Vance County Champion of the Arts Award for bringing the first after-school string program to the district.
Dr. Belcher is an accomplished entrepreneur. She is author of Meals for Musicians: Delicious Meals to Fit Your Busy Lifestyle. Belcher was awarded a patent for a device to enhance string instruments (USPTO# 20140260902). She was also featured in the 2008 edition of North Carolina Symphony’s Opus magazine and performed on an episode of One Tree Hill, the WB network's hit television series. In December 2022, Belcher co-authored, Finding Light in Difficult Times: Responding, Creating, & Protecting Intellectual Property, which is a free resource for Orchestra Teachers commissioned by the Library of Congress and the National Association for Music Education.
Dr. Belcher is in demand as a cellist and guest conductor. She has performed with Integrity Strings, Cellist Ti Awo, Colour of Music Symphony Orchestra, Greensboro Philharmonia, Raleigh Symphony, Duke Symphony, and Durham Symphony. Her most recent appointments include guest conductor of the Intercollegiate Music Association’s String Orchestra (IMA), conductor of NAfME’s All-National Honors Symphony Orchestra, guest clinician for the California Orchestra Director Association and Washoe County School District High School Honors Orchestra in Reno, NV. Dr. Belcher served as the inaugural conductor for the 2022 Chamber Orchestra conductor for the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles(YOLA) National Festival. Dr. Belcher accepted the invitation to return as conductor for the YOLA festival in July 2023. She was honored to have Maestro Gustavo Dudamel perform as a section violinist to close out the concert as she conducted Arturo Marquez’s Danzon No. 2. Dr. Belcher served as the Orchestra Headliner for the 2023 Northwest Regional Music Educators Association in Bellevue, Washington. Dr. Belcher’s current conducting engagements for 2024 include the All-Millard Orchestra Festival (January), Georgia All-State Orchestra (February), Minnesota All-State Orchestra (July), Montana All-State Orchestra (October), the CCSD Honor Orchestra in Las Vegas (November) and Guilford County All-County Orchestra (November).
Belcher recognizes first hand that participation in orchestra can transform the life of a child. For this reason, she encourages all youth to fully realize their full musical potential by participating in orchestra. She views teaching, performing with Integrity Strings, and leading the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra as a ministry. She gives GOD all the glory for the things that He has done and continues to do in her life!
Dr. Belcher has a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University, a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership, an advanced education specialist degree in Educational Leadership, a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Music from North Carolina Central University. She studied with Dr. Timothy Holley, Alex Ezerman, Jesse L. Suggs, Jr., Kellie Keiser, and Jennifer Wernicke. Belcher previously served as a lecturer for music education at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill and was Director of Strings at Winston-Salem State University. Belcher serves as an adjunct assistant professor at Shenandoah University and is also project grant manager for the National Association of Music Education’s Connected Arts (CAN) Network, where she oversees the professional development for a national cadre of teacher leaders. Belcher is Chair of the National Association for Music Education’s Council for Orchestral Education.
Belcher is a 2023 graduate of Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women in Business program. She is an alumnus of Sphinx LEAD (Leaders in Excellence, Arts & Diversity), who is known for anchoring discussions on how to make public school orchestra programs more equitable, diverse, and inclusive to all students. Her most recent speaking engagements include Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege Division, Sphinx Connect, the National Association for Music Education’s Town Hall, and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Belcher’s dissertation Factors that Influence the Status of K-12 String Orchestra Programs in North Carolina Public Schools was the first of its kind to focus specifically on string orchestra programs in North Carolina.
Belcher has a successful history of establishing diverse, equitable, and inclusive programs at the elementary, middle, high school, and collegiate levels. She founded the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra (2013), a non-profit organization that provides expert orchestral instruction and free instruments to youth where orchestra opportunities are limited or do not exist. In her tenure, Belcher has grown the organization from 3 students to over 500 Pre-K through 12th grade students across Wake, Franklin, and Vance counties. In April 2021, Belcher received the Vance County Champion of the Arts Award for bringing the first after-school string program to the district.
Dr. Belcher is an accomplished entrepreneur. She is author of Meals for Musicians: Delicious Meals to Fit Your Busy Lifestyle. Belcher was awarded a patent for a device to enhance string instruments (USPTO# 20140260902). She was also featured in the 2008 edition of North Carolina Symphony’s Opus magazine and performed on an episode of One Tree Hill, the WB network's hit television series. In December 2022, Belcher co-authored, Finding Light in Difficult Times: Responding, Creating, & Protecting Intellectual Property, which is a free resource for Orchestra Teachers commissioned by the Library of Congress and the National Association for Music Education.
Dr. Belcher is in demand as a cellist and guest conductor. She has performed with Integrity Strings, Cellist Ti Awo, Colour of Music Symphony Orchestra, Greensboro Philharmonia, Raleigh Symphony, Duke Symphony, and Durham Symphony. Her most recent appointments include guest conductor of the Intercollegiate Music Association’s String Orchestra (IMA), conductor of NAfME’s All-National Honors Symphony Orchestra, guest clinician for the California Orchestra Director Association and Washoe County School District High School Honors Orchestra in Reno, NV. Dr. Belcher served as the inaugural conductor for the 2022 Chamber Orchestra conductor for the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles(YOLA) National Festival. Dr. Belcher accepted the invitation to return as conductor for the YOLA festival in July 2023. She was honored to have Maestro Gustavo Dudamel perform as a section violinist to close out the concert as she conducted Arturo Marquez’s Danzon No. 2. Dr. Belcher served as the Orchestra Headliner for the 2023 Northwest Regional Music Educators Association in Bellevue, Washington. Dr. Belcher’s current conducting engagements for 2024 include the All-Millard Orchestra Festival (January), Georgia All-State Orchestra (February), Minnesota All-State Orchestra (July), Montana All-State Orchestra (October), the CCSD Honor Orchestra in Las Vegas (November) and Guilford County All-County Orchestra (November).
Belcher recognizes first hand that participation in orchestra can transform the life of a child. For this reason, she encourages all youth to fully realize their full musical potential by participating in orchestra. She views teaching, performing with Integrity Strings, and leading the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra as a ministry. She gives GOD all the glory for the things that He has done and continues to do in her life!