2020-21 Concert. With only one rehearsal, COVID-19 protocols, and the first concert in over a year. The NSA band and orchestra combined to bring a virtual concert.  To assist with making the experience like a festival, three judges evaluated the concert just like a normal festival assessment experience.    

Winter 2020 Concert. School in Metro Nashville began with virtual-only learning. To best assist student learning, the program started working on music that all students could both perform and play to help learn how best to function in a virtual-only setting. Some students returned to live instruction on March 3, 2021

Performance 1: February 17, 2020. Festival performance was to take place on March 11th, 2020. Due to COVID, the only recording you hear was 3 weeks prior to festival attendance. This group was going to be spectacular

Performance 2: December 15, 2019.  Working backwards, this concert represents the second full set of learning.

Performance 3: October 15, 2019. This is the first concert under the direction of Mr. Duarte

Taking over a band program means rebuilding culture and instruction simultaneously. It requires listening first, setting clear expectations, and establishing trust through consistency and purpose. By honoring traditions while raising standards, you guide students toward accountability, musical excellence, and a sense of pride. Instruction becomes intentional, rooted in goals and growth, while culture shifts through modeling, reflection, and shared vision. The ensemble evolves as students feel seen, supported, and inspired to rise—musically and personally—under steady, forward-thinking leadership.