The South Florida Pride Youth Band Season 14 Concert Presented by FLoatarama is scheduled for Sunday, February 23 at 7 p.m. at The Parker. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at https://tinyurl.com/jz44zu7j
Comprised of approximately 80 students who represent dozens of public and private high schools throughout Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, the South Florida Pride Youth Band will join forces with members of the South Florida Pride Concert Band, the bridge-building musical powerhouse which has been entertaining the South Florida community for almost 40 years.
During this special, one-night only performance, the South Florida Pride Youth Band will be conducted by Dr. Cheldon Williams, Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at West Virginia University. Also conducting will be Dan Bassett, Artistic Director of the South Florida Pride Concert Band since 2006. Mr. Bassett is a Florida music educator with more than 25 years of experience and a founding member of the South Florida Pride Youth Band.
“We are deeply proud to keep fostering a safe and inclusive space for marginalized youth,” said Adam DeRosa, board chair of the South Florida Pride Concert Band. “Our nonprofit is profoundly grateful to our generous supporters, whose contributions enable us to empower these students both financially and through the guidance of musical mentorship.”
During the Season 14 concert, the South Florida Pride Concert Band will award more than a dozen individual $1,500 scholarships to local high school band students. One exceptional student will receive a $7,500 scholarship care of the Fourth Annual FLoatarama Youth Pride Band Soloist competition and will be a featured as a soloist during the South Florida Pride Concert Band’s May 2025 concert.
“The FLoatarama LGBTQ Youth Fund grants are awarded to South Florida agencies, such as the South Florida Pride Youth Band, which provides critical services to support the one-in-five youth who identify as LGBTQ+ here in Broward County,” said Scott Schramm and Roderick MacKenzie, co-founders of FLoatarama. “It is incredibly gratifying to support these talented young people by providing them with scholarships as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.”
A signature program of the South Florida Pride Concert Band since 2012, the non-profit arts organization has donated $220,000 in youth scholarships over the past 13 seasons.
“The need to support the arts for young people is immense, and we’re thrilled to offer these talented students the invaluable opportunity to rehearse and perform alongside members of our band, including many former professional musicians,” said Dan Bassett, artistic director of the South Florida Pride Concert Band.
The South Florida Pride Concert Band is celebrating its 38th season and remains the oldest LGBTQ+ arts and cultural organization in the state of Florida.