Holly Ross
Holly Ross
Music has always been part of my DNA. I grew up in a musical family and started piano at the age of 5. Now I am proud to say that I play almost every instrument, and I have 3 music degrees, including degrees in classical music, music education, and audio engineering. I have performed on stages as a vocalist and a piano player for over 20 years, and I was a band, orchestra, and choir teacher in the public schools for 10 years. I literally “wrote the book” on music education for one of the school districts I worked at, creating the music curriculum that is still in use today. I also have over a decade of experience as a live sound engineer for choir, church services, musicals, and bands.
The variety in my musical background is my superpower and the reason why I am the perfect person to answer questions and help you get anything you need to make music at Sweetwater. When I was a music teacher, I was motivated to help my students achieve their musical dreams, and I will continue to help musical dreams come true as a sales engineer. One of my favorite things to do is talk about music and music gear, and I can’t wait to hear about your musical aspirations.
As your personal contact here at Sweetwater, please let me know anytime I can offer help or advice.
(800) 222-4700 ext 3170
E-mail Holly-
Education/Certifications:
BA in music from Wichita State University
K-12 music education certification in Kansas and Missouri
Audio Engineering certification from Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences -
Where are you from originally?
Ottawa, Kansas
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What was your occupation before coming to Sweetwater?
band, choir, and orchestra teacher
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Technical strengths:
Band, orchestra, keyboard, piano, synthesizers. Live sound.
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Favorite music-related website:
https://everynoise.com/ a website that shows every documented music genre from around the world. It includes examples and links to bands that play in that genre.
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Instruments you play:
piano, flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, mellophone, French horn, xylophone, marimba, congas, djembe, snare drum, guitar, ukulele, violin, viola, cello, double bass
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Family info:
Older brother, older sister, one 13 year old son, 1 niece, 1 nephew. Everyone plays instruments!
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Other stuff we should know about you (hobbies, talents, interests, etc.):
I like outdoor activities like canoeing and hiking. I also like to paint.
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What did you dream about doing for a living when you were growing up?
All I ever wanted when I was a kid was to spend my life doing something related to music. Working at Sweetwater is honestly a dream come true, I love being surrounded by musical people and talking to musicians every day.
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What's the biggest gig you've ever played?
I sang a classical soprano solo in front of over 1000 music teachers at the Kansas Music Teacher Association convention. It was the scariest solo I ever had because the entire audience was music teachers. I also sang as part of an elite choir at Carnegie Hall in New York.
