About Us
Maestra (Italian, noun): a master in an art, especially a composer, conductor, or music teacher.
Maestra Ensemble is composed of professional musicians and music educators based in northern Virginia. We were drawn together by our passions for performing and for instilling the love of music in our students. Each of us have years of classical training and practice under our belts. We also have experience performing for all kinds of events, including weddings, birthday parties, rock & pop concerts, and more.
Meet Our Musicians
Eleanor Aban Plunkett
Violist, Violinist, & Manager
Eleanor teaches orchestra in Prince William County and performs with the Fredericksburg Symphony Orchestra. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in music education from West Virginia University, studying viola with Andrea Priester Houde.
Eleanor is your point of contact when you reach out to Maestra Ensemble. She absolutely loves planning events, arranging music, and helping your vision come to life!
Diana Chou
Cellist
Diana Chou is a talented and engaging music educator, cellist, and conductor. She is the Artistic Director of The Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestras (TCSYO), as well as Conductor for String Ensemble and Prelude Orchestra. Mrs. Chou began her tenure with TCSYO in 2017 as the Prelude Orchestra Conductor; under her leadership, the program grew rapidly and String Ensemble was formed in the fall of 2019.
Mrs. Chou has been a music educator since 2008, and has taught for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) since 2013. She currently teaches at Lake Braddock Secondary School as the Middle School Orchestra Director. In addition, she is Director of the Fairfax Chamber Players, an orchestra made up of FCPS teachers in conjunction with the Academy Course Program. She has organized many events for the Lake Braddock Pyramid, including Strings Extravaganza, Solo Spotlight, and Area Orchestra. She is the Event Coordinator for the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education (FACE) and works to bring musical opportunities to all students. Mrs. Chou enjoys curriculum development, and has worked on projects for FCPS and the Virginia Department of Education. She has been a mentor to many first year orchestra teachers and has hosted several student teachers. She is an active freelance cellist in the Washington D.C. area and is a founding member of the Maestra Ensemble. She has performed concerti with the Manassas Symphony Orchestra, Fairfax Chamber Players, and Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra.
Before moving to Virginia, she taught elementary and middle school orchestra for the Ithaca City School District. She served as Vice President of the Seneca Tompkins Music Educators Association, and was the Chairperson for All County and Area All State festivals. Mrs. Chou was also the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Ithaca Community Orchestra. In 2013 she was named a Music Educator Grammy Award Quarter Finalist. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Ithaca College, and Master of Music in Conducting from Houghton University.
Sarah Geiger
Violinist
Sarah Geiger's musical journey began at the age of 3 when she started violin with the Buffalo Suzuki Strings. Through the years she pursued a variety of musical opportunities at the local, regional, and state levels, and upon graduating high school attended Ithaca College and received a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. Ms. Geiger returned to Ithaca College in the summers from 2018-2020 and earned a Master's in Music Education as well.
Currently, Ms. Geiger teaches at Farmwell Station Middle School in Ashburn, VA working with 6th and 7th grade orchestra, and 7th and 8th grade guitar. Additionally, she coaches Chamber Orchestra and Kpop ensembles, and is starting a Ukulele Club in the 4th quarter with the assistance of an LEF grant. She enjoys bringing students into the community for real-world music experiences, and collaborating with other schools.
Anna Sengstack
Violinist
Anna Sengstack is the Director of Orchestras at Katherine Johnson Middle School in Fairfax County. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music Education from George Mason University, where she studied violin with Peter Haase of the National Symphony Orchestra. She was a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Alpha Chi Honors Fraternity. She earned her Master of Education in Instructional Design from Western Governors University with an emphasis on the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate) Method. She is also a member of the National Society of Leaders for Success.
Anna has been the director at KJMS in Fairfax County for many years, and her orchestras continuously achieve high scores from assessments. She was in the Who’s Who of Education in 2008. She has served as her school’s Fine Arts Department chair since 2018, is a member of the PBIS and FSAC Committees, and is the sponsor for TRI-M. She was Outstanding Educator of the Year for 2023 for her school and the City of Fairfax Rotary Club. She enjoys planning and organizing many opportunities for her students. In November 2023, she performed at the VMEA Conference in Richmond with the KJMS Chamber Orchestra.
Anna freelances in the Washington, D.C. area and teaches a private violin and viola studio. She loves practicing and sharing her passion for music with her students.
In addition to our core members, we also have other musicians who regularly perform with our group.