A Conversation with Mary Ruth Harper Ragland of Winyah Bay Musical Arts
October 7, 2026
By Karen Owens
Publisher
Winyah Bay Musical Arts will bring holiday music to Georgetown County with Christmas in Concert performances on December 7 and 8 at Winyah Auditorium.
We recently caught up with its founder and executive director, Mary Ruth Harper Ragland, to learn more about the organization and its upcoming shows.
Georgetown SC Gazette:
Tell me about Winyah Bay Musical Arts – its mission and goals.
Mary Ruth Harper Ragland, Winyah Bay Musical Arts:
Formed in 2024, Winyah Bay Musical Arts (WBMA) is a South Carolina-based 501©(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the Lowcountry community through live classical music performances and choral arts. By bringing together local choral singers, chamber musicians, and guest professional artists, the organization presents seasonal concerts, chamber collectives, and holiday programs at local venues like the historic Winyah Auditorium. 
Our area offers hunting, fishing, sporting events, the beaches of the Waccamaw area, Brookgreen Gardens, and downtown Georgetown attractions such as the Art & Wine Walk, local museums, and the Kaminski House. These destinations benefit residents and tourists alike. Winyah Bay Musical Arts wants to complement them by providing high-quality live musical performances.
Winyah Bay Musical Arts has a passionate mission of taking our area to a high level which is fashioned after Spoleto in Charleston. We partner with Charleston Symphony Orchestra musicians, Chamber Music Charleston, Carnegie Hall performers, Metropolitan Opera vocalists as well as local talent.
Georgetown SC Gazette:
How many performers do you have? And I understand you also encourage students to perform with you.
Mary Ruth Harper Ragland:
The number of singers varies by performance. Our smaller chamber programs usually include 25–30 singers, while the upcoming Christmas concert will feature 35–40. The WBMA Chorale is a volunteer vocal group with singers from across the Lowcountry, including Andrews, Georgetown, Pawleys Island, Murrells Inlet, Conway, Hemingway, Myrtle Beach, Mount Pleasant, Charleston, and Summerville. We welcome anyone who loves to sing, and rehearsals are held in Georgetown, Pawleys Island, and Andrews.
Educating local students is a strong focus for WBMA, and we’re excited to have the Georgetown County School District BEACH singers participate in our programs. Performing alongside Charleston Symphony Orchestra musicians gives these young singers a motivating professional experience.
Georgetown SC Gazette:
How often does the WBMA host performances?
Mary Ruth Harper Ragland:
Our goal is to present four programs a year.
In September, we presented a 250 Celebration of America at Winyah Auditorium with brass from the Charleston Symphony and the WBMA Chorale. Last spring, we presented a woodwind program of classical music and popular pieces by the chorale, and string ensembles have performed with us as well. Other programs throughout the year have featured exceptional Carnegie Hall performers, pianists, flutists and international vocalists.
The Christmas Extravaganza is our main annual event, and this year marks our third Christmas program at Winyah Auditorium in Georgetown. Performances are scheduled for December 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. The evening begins with orchestral selections, secular and popular choral Christmas songs, followed by an orchestral interlude. Masterful arrangements of traditional sacred Christmas songs complete the program, which traditionally concludes with Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.
Tickets are $30. Admission is free for children and students through grade 12.
Join the Winyah Bay Musical Arts Chorale and the Georgetown County BEACH Singers, accompanied by Charleston Symphony Orchestra musicians, for two evenings of music and holiday cheer. For more information about Winyah Bay Musical Arts, please visit their website or contact Ragland directly at 843 450 3519.
