Ms. Fariga Drayton-Conway’s teaching career began in 2004 in the Alton School District in Illinois, where her ensembles received First Superior Ratings at both Large Ensemble Contest and Solo/Small Ensemble Festivals for seven consecutive years. During her tenure, she formed the Schumann Chamber Orchestra, a 20-piece honors ensemble. The ensemble annually competed in and won the Orchestral Division at the Six Flags Music in the Parks Festival and was featured in an Alternative Music Concert during the 2011 Illinois Music Education Conference (ILMEA).

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In addition to her work with school orchestras, Ms. Drayton-Conway has served as a guest conductor for several honors ensembles, including the Alton Jr. Youth Symphony for students in grades 4–8; the 2006 All-Suburban 7th/8th Grade Honors Orchestra in St. Louis, Missouri; the 2018 ILMEA District Jr. Honors Orchestra in Edwardsville, Illinois; the 2019 Southwest Missouri District Jr. Honors Orchestra in Joplin, Missouri; and the 2022 Alabama Orchestra Association Consort String Orchestra at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Now in her 24th year of public education and 16th year in the Kirkwood School District, Ms. Drayton-Conway has led her orchestras to numerous state and national honors. Under her direction, the Nipher Middle School Orchestra was selected to perform at the 2014 Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) In-Service Workshop/Conference and, later that year, became the first orchestra in program history to perform at the prestigious Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. The orchestra continued its national presence with a performance at Carnegie Hall in March 2016.

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At Kirkwood High School, Ms. Drayton-Conway serves as Director of Orchestras, where she directs the KHS Symphonic and Concert Orchestras. The KHS Symphonic Orchestra was selected to perform at the 2024 MMEA In-Service Workshop/Conference. In May 2026, the ensemble reached another historic milestone when it was selected through a national audition process to participate and compete in the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival in Chicago, Illinois, in February 2027. This selection marks the first appearance at the ASTA National Orchestra Festival in the history of the Kirkwood orchestra program.

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In recognition of her commitment to music education and her students, Ms. Drayton-Conway was named the 2016 Nipher Middle School Teacher of the Year and received the 2019 Missouri American String Teachers Association Secondary Educator of the Year Award.

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Ms. Drayton-Conway’s musicianship has been shaped by a distinguished group of teachers and mentors throughout her musical development. Her cello studies include work with Patrick Jackson, Beverly Fields, Robert Silverman, Natasha Rubinstein, Dr. Benjamin Karp at the University of Kentucky, and Kurt Baldwin at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Her development as a conductor was strongly inspired by the work and mentorship of conductors Andre Raphael Smith and Dr. Alfred Duckett. She further developed her conducting through study with internationally renowned conductor Neeme Järvi and Dr. Robert Baldwin.

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In addition to her work as an educator and conductor, Ms. Drayton-Conway has more than 38 years of performance experience throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area and beyond. Her professional performance credits include appearances with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra as a member of the St. Louis Strings, the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players Midwest Tour, and the Southern Illinois Music Festival in Carbondale, Illinois, including performances featuring all six of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos.

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From 2012–2025, Ms. Drayton-Conway served as a substitute cellist with The Muny Orchestra. She currently serves as Principal Cellist of the Gateway Festival Orchestra and is a member of the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis. As a soloist, she has been featured with the Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra, University City Symphony Orchestra, and Gateway Festival Orchestra.

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Through her work as an educator, conductor, and professional cellist, Ms. Drayton-Conway continues to bring her experience as a performing musician into the classroom, helping students understand that music education extends beyond the notes on the page to artistry, discipline, collaboration, and lifelong musicianship.