Valerie Michelle Castañeda, an eighth grade student at Miami Lakes Middle School, has been selected for the Florida All State Band.
A resident of Miami Lakes, Castañeda is in her third year as a clarinetist for the school’s superior-ranked Warrior Band program and serves as the band’s co-captain.
In January, Castañeda, along with MLMS band director Ana Peña, will travel to Tampa to participate with the All State Band during the Florida Music Educator’s Association Music Festival.
The Florida All State Band consists of 150 select band members from around the state. Out of the hundreds of Miami-Dade County students who auditioned, Castañeda was one of only six musicians selected to participate in the music festival.
“I was proud that I practiced and prepared the best I could to try out. The audition itself was a great experience, but nerve racking,” she said.
For more information on the Miami Lakes Warrior Band, contact band director Peña at Apena13@dadeschools.net.