If this story was about anything but jazz and big-band music played by high schoolers, we could say the Osceola County School for the Arts already-accomplished Jazz A and Wind Ensembles closed out the school year with a bang.
But this is music, so we’ll use their own words to say they went out with “a swingin’ sound.”
You’ve likely heard much about OCSA’s Jazz A Ensemble, which has made an annual tradition of qualifying for, and earning high honors at, the International Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Festival in New York, this year held April 30-May 2 at the iconic Lincoln Center.
Three weeks before that, OCSA’s Wind Ensemble earned a spot in the President’s Cup National High School Concert Band Invitational April 15-18 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center at George Mason University just outside of Washington, D.C. They made the most of the opportunity, being selected for the most outstanding overall performance.
Not to be outdone, the jazz band, directed by Jason Anderson, qualified for Essentially Ellington for the fifth year in a row, and earned its third First Place Championship and first since 2023.
Bands don’t get in simply on reputation; OCSA’s jazz band was third place last year, and the school that took first place in 2025 wasn’t even one of the 20 selected among the 119 that sent in audition recordings.
The Wind Ensemble was one of only eight bands chosen for the President’s Cup, based on straight Superior ratings earned at last year’s Music Performance Assessments (MPAs).
At the competition, part of the celebration of 250th anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, the students collaborated and performed with the U.S. Army Band. Alto saxophonist Madyson Cordero and flutist Olivia Jones played with the Army band.
In competition the ensemble, directed by 13-year OCSA veteran Bill Molineaux, played “Revolutionary” by Andrew Boysen, Jr., a piece all eight bands played, along with its own selection, “Foundation” by Mark Camphouse.
“While there was a lot of ‘Wow factor,’ they played beautifully,” Molineaux said. “The way they played was impactful, and what they earned shows the amount of talent they have.”
Sophomore oboe player Frankie Molineaux and director’s son, said that while the ensemble has performed in competitive settings extensively, there was an added feeling of competitive edge at George Mason.
“When it was over I had a feeling of ‘mission accomplished,” he said. “(Bill) pushed us to be ready leading up to the concert.”
The Ensemble returned from Washington D.C. in time to perform at this year’s MPAs— and earned another clean sheet of Superior ratings.
At Essentially Ellington, the Jazz ensemble earned Outstanding Rhythm Section and Outstanding Trumpet Section honors among the 20 competing bands en route to being named top band and bringing home the trophy and the $5,000 prize that comes with it.
“This year’s competition was the most competitive in Essentially Ellington history,” said Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis.
Individual awards went to Xavier Anderson and Rafael Alvarez Gonzalez (trumpet), Brett Levin and Danial Browne (trombone), Luis Fernandez Guzman (clarinet), David Eduardo Obregon (guitar), Diego Aviles-Martinez (drums) and Sonialynn Jackson (congas).
“We do so many of these that I think the kids get comfortable playing on a stage like that,” Anderson said. “This group is able to just go up there and be themselves in the moment and in the music. (Duke) Ellington wrote for people, not for the music, and we keep that alive here. We play tunes that we connect with, and that’s what we put into our auditions.
“They’re very used to being in front of an audience … just with this, all the jazz greats are staring right at them. When we’re there I just focus on if they can play their very best, the way I know they’re capable. They played the best they’ve played, hands down.”
“I think it’s more stressful for Mr. J than it is for any of us,” said Jackson, a junior who performed at Essentially Ellington for the third time. “He’s teaching three other bands as well. But we all have this want to sound great as a group. I was nervous, but this is such a great group of people to play with. Winning was so surreal, it was so great sharing it with these people in this band.”
Xavier Anderson, another junior and director’s son, said the band’s been together so long that they worked out their nerves backstage and were really relaxed once on stage.
“This year there was a different vibe, we had jam sessions with some of the other bands, so we were really relaxed when it came time to perform,” he said.
Jason Anderson said he’s already thinking about next year’s Ellington, despite losing some seniors from this year’s band. Three of them—horn players Luis Fernandez, Jann Xiques and Bella Ramirez, along with junior Aviles-Martinez, are in both ensembles that achieved victory, and reflected on their third or fourth trip to Lincoln Center.
“Was there pressure? Yeah, but we were also there to have fun and perform with each other,” Ramirez said. “That’s what gave the vibe. This whole year’s gone by really fast.”
“The only pressure was not to have regrets,” Fernandez said. “They announced we won and it was a shock that took a moment sink in. We had a lot of people going for the first time and I wanted them to have a great experience.”
“When it was over, I thought it was the best we could’ve played,” Xiques said, echoing the director’s thoughts. “That was the way to go out if it was the last time we’d play together.”
