The Lake Nona High School Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Monica C. Leimer, recently had the distinct privilege of performing in the renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City. The 61-member ensemble was selected to perform as part of the National Band & Orchestra Invitational Festival held on April 19.

The band worked very hard all year to prepare for this opportunity, and all of that hard work paid off with an amazing performance that received a standing ovation from the audience and high evaluations from the esteemed panel of adjudicators!

While in New York City, the band had the opportunity to tour local destinations such as the Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, 5^th Avenue, Central Park, and Rockefeller Plaza. One of the highlights of the trip (besides the performance in Carnegie Hall) was a rehearsal with composer Michael Markowski.

The students had the opportunity to rehearse at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music with Mr. Markowski and work specifically on his piece City Trees in preparation for the performance. This experience proved to be very educational and fulfilling for all members of the Wind Ensemble.

Mr. Markowski even stayed after the rehearsal so that students could ask questions, have conversations, take pictures, and ask for autographs on their music. For many of the students, this was their first interaction with a professional composer.

The Lake Nona High School Wind Ensemble would like to thank everyone in the Lake Nona community who supported them in this opportunity. Thank you so much for helping these young people experience this once-in-a-lifetime performance!