Mary Ruth Harper Ragland

Mary Ruth Harper Ragland is a lifelong Georgetown County resident, dividing her time between her homes in Andrews and Pawleys Island. She has two children, Montgomery and Blair and two grandchildren, as well as a beloved dog, Tucker, with whom she resides. For forty years, following her graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree from Columbia College and a Master of Arts degree from Cambridge, Mary Ruth taught music in the Georgetown County Public School system. Mary Ruth particularly enjoyed teaching piano and organ. Quite a few of her former students culminated their education with music degrees .Mary Ruth’s classroom video lessons are considered state of the art and have been adopted as models for graduate studies in music at various colleges and Universities. Many of her former students, having been taught and inspired by Mary Ruth, have and enjoy careers as music teachers and church music directors themselves. A life-long educator, Mary Ruth has augmented her musical teaching credentials at Florida State University, Appalachian State University, Converse College, the University of South Carolina and Coastal Carolina University, emphasizing instruction of music theory, history, piano, organ and various other subjects integrated in the overall study of music.
Mary Ruth is a devout Christian. Therefore, Christian music and choral directing have been consistent passions for Mary Ruth spanning the past fifty years and continuing at present. Until recently, she was Music Director of the highly regarded and often recognized for excellence Duncan Memorial UMC choir, which has been featured at the UMC Laity Convocation at Lake Junaluska, the Annual Conference in Spartanburg. S.C., the National Laity Convention in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and the Alabama Theater, also in Myrtle Beach.
One of the highlights of Mary Ruth’s brilliant career occurred in 2023 when she was honored to act as the Georgetown County coordinator for the Muzika, Varna International Festival, which featured two operas-Figaro and Street Scene. Mary Ruth is co-founder of Winyah Bay Musical Arts where she is the Director of the Chorale and Orchestral musical events, also assisting with Chamber performances. She has been recognized individually by Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who of American Educators. Mary Ruth looks forward to many years of successful and rewarding musical endeavors and achievements.

Jessica Beitel

Jessica Beitel holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance, magna cum laude, and a Certificate in Injury-Preventive Keyboard Technique from Salem College, where she was the recipient of numerous music scholarships, prizes and honors, and subsequently was awarded admission with scholarship to the graduate program at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She studied piano with Barbara Lister-Sink and Barbara Bacik Case, and organ with Ashley Sosis and Jack Mitchener, and is currently earning a Master of Music degree in Collaborative Piano under the tutelage of Dr. Allison Gagnon at University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
She has participated in the Performers’ Program of the TCU/Cliburn Institute (now PianoTexas International Academy and Festival), and has performed in masterclasses for Pascal Rogé, Joaquín Achúcarro, Miyoko Lotto and the late José Feghali. An active recitalist and chamber musician, she is a recent collaborative performer on the Master Artists Chamber Series of Varna International’s Muzika! festival. She served at Salem College both as staff assistant to the Director of the School of Music and as primary accompanist for the vocal and wind studios.
Additionally, she was Assistant to the Director of the Lister-Sink Institute (formerly WINGSOUND International) where she aided with the training of dozens of keyboardists in the Lister-Sink Method. One of twenty certified instructors with the Lister-Sink Institute worldwide, she is certified to teach the Lister-Sink Method from foundational to virtuoso levels. A passionate chamber musician, she is Director of Chamber Music and Co-Founder of the recently formed Winyah Bay Musical Arts, based in Georgetown and Pawleys Island in South Carolina, with Fall 2024 being its inaugural season.