DYSO Instructors

Conductor and music educator, Robert Johnson, currently serves as instrumental music director at Tuckerman High School and Swifton Middle School and has previously taught instrumental music in the South Mississippi County schools in Arkansas.

A Native of Missouri, Mr. Johnson started his musical studies playing tuba and then violin at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, where he received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting. While at A-State, he began studying conducting with Dr. Neale Bartee and formed the Jonesboro Suzuki String Orchestra. Also, he conducted performances with the A-State Symphony Orchestra, which yielded his first experiences leading an orchestra and conducting major symphonic works. Additionally, he had the great privilege of conducting the pit orchestra for a community theater performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar. Mr. Johnson has also studied conducting with Dr. Donald Schleicher and Dr. Scott Weiss.

Jenny Rong Cao is the Instructor of Strings at Arkansas State University and the principal cellist of the Delta Symphony Orchestra. She is also the string coach for Collierville High School orchestra and West Collierville Middle School string orchestra. She has taught at Interlochen Summer Camp and Blue Lake Summer Camp. Ms. Cao’s students have attended Tennessee All State and All West Orchestra.

Ms. Cao is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Memphis. Her research interest is focused on cello works by women and female cellists. She holds Master and Bachelor of Cello performance degrees from the University of Arizona and East China Normal University.

Anastasia Tarkington is a musician from Jonesboro, Arkansas. She began playing the violin when she was three years old, piano when she was ten and she has continued exploring all aspects of music making ever since, including music arranging and working at Dark Horizon Studio. In 2014, she was named the Arkansas State Grand Champion of the Youth Talent Contest in Little Rock. She is now a private music teacher of eleven years; she teaches violin, viola and piano. She is currently studying harp with Alaina Graiser. Anastasia performs with her family The Tarkingtons, works in connection with the Foundation of Arts in Jonesboro, The Stage Theater Co. in Jonesboro and is a member of the Delta Symphony Orchestra. She hopes to help encourage the growth of music and the arts in the Northeast Arkansas area.