Pride Youth Band
Registration is now open until December 18, 2026.
High School students from the tri-county area will join forces with members of the South Florida Pride Concert Band as they celebrate the music of Mr. Ron Castonguay. These students will perform under the direction of Mr. Castonguay, published composer and Director of Arts at the Frederick Gunn school in Connecticut. Over a dozen $1,500 college scholarships will be awarded to members of the Youth Band and one solo competition winner will receive a $7,500 College Scholarship, sponsored by FLoatarama.
Dates and Times:
Sunday, February 14 – 2:00-6:00pm
Sunday, February 21 – 2:00-6:00pm
Friday, February 26 – 7:00-9:00pm
Saturday, February 27 – 10:30am – 5:00pm
Sunday, February 28, 10:00am call and 2:00pm performance – The Parker
We are proud to announce the opportunity to audition for the Fifth Annual FLoatarama Soloist Competition and Scholarship! The scholarship audition is open to all 2027 Pride Youth Band Season Sixteen participants. The winner of the competition will receive a $7,500 college scholarship courtesy of FLoatarama and the opportunity to perform their solo with a piano accompanist at the Pride Youth Band concert at The Parker on February 28, 2027.
The soloist competition requirements are:
Applicants must be members of the 2027 Pride Youth Band Season 16 and perform in the Pride Youth Band concert on February 28, 2027.
The piece must be grade 4-6
The winner will perform their solo with a piano accompanist during the second half of the Pride Youth Band Concert on Feb. 28, 2027, at The Parker.
The solo can be a single movement and should be approximately 4-6 minutes in length.
Your piano accompanist must be available for the performance on Feb. 28, 2027. If you need the South Florida Pride Bands to provide an accompanist, that must be indicated upon application.
Applicants must submit a (.wav or .mp3) audio file recording of their solo which can be with or without accompaniment. This is a blind audition, so the recording should only include your performance. Please do not speak, and the file should not include your name or any identifying information.
The recording, along with a scanned copy of the solo & piano accompaniment sheet music, should be sent via email to sfpwegrants@gmail.com by Monday, February 15, 2027. The winner will be notified on February 21, 2027. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Interested students should complete the application here.
Students accepted to the program will be required to attend ALL rehearsals and perform with the Pride Youth Band on Sunday, February 28, 2027, at 2:00 pm at The Parker in Ft. Lauderdale. The concert will be recorded. Local professional musicians will be working with students in sectional and ensemble rehearsals leading up to the performance weekend.
Students participating in the program will be eligible for one of at least TEN $1,500 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS. Recipients of scholarships will be selected by the program leadership based on participation, enthusiasm and leadership qualities. To date, over $250,000 in scholarships have been awarded.
If you would like to volunteer with our organization, or donate to this worthy cause, please contact us by email at info@southfloridapridebands.org.
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