Dear Friends,

The Lincoln Middle School Orchestra in Gainesville, FL, has been invited to perform at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival in San Francisco, California, in February 2026!

This is a prestigious national honor for our students and school community. To be selected, we underwent a rigorous application process, submitting current-year audio and video recordings, district assessment ratings from the past five years, recent concert programs, and letters of recommendation from respected music professionals. Out of many applicants from across the country, Lincoln Middle School was chosen to represent Gainesville and the state of Florida on the national stage.

The cost of sending our orchestra to San Francisco is substantial, as we will be flying from Orlando to San Francisco and covering travel, lodging, instrument transport, and festival participation fees. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to ensuring that each of our talented students has the opportunity to take part in this experience.

This trip is more than just a performance. We believe this is a transformative educational journey that will expand our students’ minds, open doors of opportunity, and inspire them to imagine bold futures filled with creativity and confidence — lessons that extend far beyond the four walls of our classroom.

We are participating in standard fundraising activities, this fundraising mode is for those that simply wish to help students succeed from far away or without a need for a product in order to be of service to our cause. Thank you!

Press: https://www.mainstreetdailynews.com/education/lincoln-middle-school-orchestra-national-festival

https://alachuachronicle.com/lincoln-middle-school-orchestra-selected-to-perform-at-prestigious-national-festival/

ASTA: https://www.astastrings.org/