About the Horizon High School Band
The Horizon High School Band is a comprehensive band program which includes a focus on individual fundamentals, group performance and musicianship, and a positive, inclusive atmosphere which welcomes students of all abilities, backgrounds, and experience levels.
Course offerings include concert ensembles, jazz ensembles, percussion classes, and eurhythmics classes which includes our fall color guard and a competitive indoor winter guard program. All students are a part of the Horizon High School marching band, "The Sound of Horizon," which performs at all varsity football games in the fall, as well as community, state, and national performances throughout the school year.
The Sound of Horizon traveled to Savannah and Atlanta, GA in the 2022-2023 school year for their first national appearance, performing in the 199th Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade. In 2023, the Wind Ensemble will be performing at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in the UCF-Orlando Music for All Concert Band Invitational. Student opportunities continue to grow as the program grows, from 36 our first day together in 2021 to over 120 students enrolled in classes today.
Course offerings include concert ensembles, jazz ensembles, percussion classes, and eurhythmics classes which includes our fall color guard and a competitive indoor winter guard program. All students are a part of the Horizon High School marching band, "The Sound of Horizon," which performs at all varsity football games in the fall, as well as community, state, and national performances throughout the school year.
The Sound of Horizon traveled to Savannah and Atlanta, GA in the 2022-2023 school year for their first national appearance, performing in the 199th Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade. In 2023, the Wind Ensemble will be performing at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in the UCF-Orlando Music for All Concert Band Invitational. Student opportunities continue to grow as the program grows, from 36 our first day together in 2021 to over 120 students enrolled in classes today.
Band Director, Charlene Cannon
Charlene Cannon is currently in her 13th year as a band director and opened Horizon High School in the inaugural 2021-2022 school year. Prior to Horizon High School, she taught band at Freedom High School and Bridgewater Middle School. Ms. Cannon holds a Master of Arts degree in Music Education from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Florida State University, where she graduated Magna cum Laude. Bands under Ms. Cannon’s direction have consistently earned “Superior” ratings at music performance assessments (MPA), and have earned performance invitations including the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) Conference (2014, 2016, 2022), the UCF All-Southeastern Concert Band Invitational, the UCF-Orlando Music for All Concert Band Invitational, the National Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C., the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and the 199th Annual Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade. She has earned honors including the Bridgewater Middle School Teacher of the Year (2015) and the OCPS/Kessler Grand Bohemian Excellence in Teaching Fine Arts Award (2015). Ms. Cannon is active as a guest conductor and presenter, and she has presented sessions at conferences for organizations including FMEA, the National Flute Association, the Florida Flute Association, and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. In 2018, she was a featured speaker for the “Women in Music” series at the University of Central Florida. Among her other instructional duties at Freedom High School, Ms. Cannon also developed and directed a Flute Choir class and program for three years which included an emphasis on the development of individual musicianship, flute performance fundamentals, and flute pedagogy for high school flutists.
Ms. Cannon is an active member of and has served in leadership roles for FMEA and the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA). She is on staff for the Florida Band Director Workshop in Titusville, which is an intensive and interactive workshop focused on conceptual teaching and band pedagogy. She is also a co-founder for the Foundations for Flute Education online flute pedagogy workshop, established in 2020.
Ms. Cannon is an active member of and has served in leadership roles for FMEA and the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA). She is on staff for the Florida Band Director Workshop in Titusville, which is an intensive and interactive workshop focused on conceptual teaching and band pedagogy. She is also a co-founder for the Foundations for Flute Education online flute pedagogy workshop, established in 2020.
Color Guard and Winter Guard Director, Kassidy Garcia
Kassidy Garcia is currently in her 4th year of teaching and opened Water Spring Middle School in the inaugural 2021-2022 school year. Ms. Garcia teaches 7th Grade Civics at Water Spring Middle School and also established the inaugural Horizon High School Color Guard and Winter Guard programs this year. Prior to Horizon High School, Ms. Garcia established and instructed Color Guard and Winter Guard programs at Windermere High School and Bridgewater Middle School.
Ms. Garcia is a proud graduate of the University of South Florida where she graduated with a Bachelor of Secondary Social Science Education. She participated in and performed with the USF Winter Guard program as well as the "HOT" Herd of Thunder USF Marching Band. Ms. Garcia was recently nominated and approved to begin her adjudication training with the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) to become a Marching Band Music Performance Assessment (MPA) and Solo and Ensemble MPA Auxiliary Adjudicator.
Color Guards and Winter Guards under Ms. Garcia's direction have consistently earned "Superior" ratings at MPA events and have placed in the top 3 at Florida Federation of Colorguard Circuit (FFCC) state championship as well as Winter Guard International (WGI) championship performances. In the 2021-2022 school year, the inaugural Horizon Winter Guard placed 2nd at the FFCC state championship.
Ms. Garcia is a proud graduate of the University of South Florida where she graduated with a Bachelor of Secondary Social Science Education. She participated in and performed with the USF Winter Guard program as well as the "HOT" Herd of Thunder USF Marching Band. Ms. Garcia was recently nominated and approved to begin her adjudication training with the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) to become a Marching Band Music Performance Assessment (MPA) and Solo and Ensemble MPA Auxiliary Adjudicator.
Color Guards and Winter Guards under Ms. Garcia's direction have consistently earned "Superior" ratings at MPA events and have placed in the top 3 at Florida Federation of Colorguard Circuit (FFCC) state championship as well as Winter Guard International (WGI) championship performances. In the 2021-2022 school year, the inaugural Horizon Winter Guard placed 2nd at the FFCC state championship.