PCHS Bulletin – Jayden Martinez
Date Published - January 20, 2026
There is a sound in the halls of Parrish Community High School this year; it is the resonant sounds of brass, woodwinds, percussion, and strings. The first semester of the 2025-2026 school year has proven to be a landmark year for the Parrish Community High School music program.
On Wednesday, Nov 12, 2025, the PCHS music department hosted a Music Expo. The Music Expo served as a high-energy recruitment hub, designed with the intention of welcoming future Bulls into the arts and theater programs. The aim was to prove that the arts are a path to excellence and encourage these younger students to pursue these pathways.
Following the expo came a series of Winter Music concerts held in December under the direction of band director Ron Lambert, orchestra director Tyler Habig, and choir director Kerrie Carrier to further showcase the work of these programs.
Additionally, numerous students have earned individual recognition. The selection process for Honor Bands is an invigorating test of technical skill, sight-reading, and last-minute nerves. This year, Parrish saw a record number of students earning chairs in some of the most prestigious ensembles in the region.
Band Program
Representing the best of the best in our home district for the Manatee County All-County Band, these five students will highlight the high standard of the PCHS Wind Ensemble: Zachary Sullivan (So.), Angelica Mendoza (Jr.), Hannah Towers (So.), Russell Dickens (So.), and Kaden Moore (So.). In addition to this representation, PCHS will be hosting the All-County Band’s concert on Saturday, January 31, 2025.
The talent at Parrish has also caught the attention of collegiate directors at one of Florida's premier music institutions. The Florida State Tri-State Festival—a gathering of top musicians, selected Mendoza, Matthew Flores (Sr.), and Moncef Terzi (Sr.) to participate. The USF Festival of Winds featured Mendoza, Sullivan, and Shelby Prince (So.), offering them a chance to perform in elite concert bands under the baton of world-renowned guest conductors.
Orchestra Program
Back in August, orchestra students in Manatee County participated in a blind audition for the All-County Orchestra, and Ava Le (Jr.), Vimian Thach (Sr.), Thien Nguyen (Sr.), Lena Zielinska (Sr), Sergio Lloyd-Toro (Sr.), and Ryan Schaefer (Sr.) were selected. These students performed with guest clinicians and the rest of the selected orchestra students at the Neel Performing Arts Center at the State College of Florida on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
Additionally, Lloyd-Toro and Schaefer were selected to audition for the All-State Orchestra. This group contains the best musicians from the state for one high school ensemble. Those selected will attend an FMEA conference and perform at the Tampa Convention Center on January 14-17, 2026.
Choir Program
The PCHS choir program has been heavily involved not only in Florida, but across the country.
For starters, PCHS had two students selected to the All-State High School Concert Chorus: Bryce Jandula (Jr.) and Mark Marinkovic (Sr.)
There have been many opportunities for the choir students to connect this year, most notably with the opportunity to travel to New York on January 2-6, 2026. They performed in the Church of the Incarnation and St. John of the Divine, and visited sites such as Staten Island, the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, Radio City Music Hall, Central Park, and Broadway, where they got to watch Aladdin and the Great Gatsby. They additionally got to participate in a Broadway workshop!
Choir held their Solo and Ensemble event on November 6 at PCHS.
The choir also participated in the annual EPCOT Candlelight Processional on December 28, 2025.
In addition, the Chamber Choir attended a C3 Retreat October 12-14, 2025.
Conclusion
From local honors to elite state-wide festivals, PCHS musicians are definitively leaving their mark at Parrish Community High School. There are more recognitions and performances to come in the second half of the school year.