Four Flagler County student musicians earned the honor of performing with the top young musicians in Florida at the prestigious All-State Band performances last Saturday.
The students were selected through a highly competitive audition process held in September. Emily Rhee and Joshua Palacious, both from Indian Trails Middle School, performed with the Middle School All-State Band, with Rhee on clarinet and Palacious on trombone. Oliver Esquival-Novek from Flagler Palm Coast High School performed on alto saxophone with the High School All-State Band, and George Biedenbach from Matanzas High School performed on trombone with the same ensemble.
In addition to the student achievements, Matanzas High School Band Director Ryan Schulz was formally recognized for his leadership at Saturday’s concert. Schulz served as the coordinator for the High School Honors Band, a role that required him to coordinate with more than 100 schools across Florida to assemble an ensemble of approximately 120 students.
Flagler Schools is inviting the community to attend the annual Flagler All-County Band Concert on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. The concert will be held at the Matanzas High School Pirate Theater.
Two distinguished guest clinicians will participate in the event. Bernie Hendricks, President-Elect of the Florida Music Education Association, and Amy Wacksman, a renowned music educator from Orange County, will conduct student ensembles and provide professional development for Flagler County band directors throughout the weekend.
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