Dozens of the Keys’ youngest and brightest musical talents descended on Marathon Middle/High School on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 to form the annual All-County Band. Around 130 students from seven area schools participated in the event, which consisted of more than 10 hours of rehearsal time culminating in a rousing concert under guest conductors Ajori Spencer (middle school band) and Ian Schwindt (high school).
Participating schools and their directors/principals included Sugarloaf School (Joe Dallas/Trevor Tyler), Horace O’Bryant School (Crystal Hendricks/Brian Desilets), Plantation Key School (Kathrine Yarbrough/Lisa Taylor), Coral Shores High School (Suzanne Gagliardini/Laura Lietart), Key West High School (Gary Hernandez/Rebecca Palomino), Key Largo School (Susan Bazin/Darren Pais), and Marathon Middle/High (Paul Anderson/Christine Paul).
The high school honor band consisted of roughly 55 participants, including five from Marathon High School, and the middle school honor band was 75 strong. Participants from Marathon were Eli Banks (seventh grade bass clarinet), Lucian Burns (eighth grade baritone saxophone), Jayden Davis (eighth grade flute), Atlas Downes (sixth grade alto saxophone), Linnley Eldridge (seventh grade flute), Samuel Golden (ninth grade tuba), Adrianna Golding (eighth grade clarinet), Sophia Hutchins (11th grade percussion), Hollinger Keeney (seventh grade flute), Victoria McAllister (ninth grade percussion), Christopher Paul (11th grade clarinet) and Elizabeth Vander Lee (11th grade flute).
