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Coral Glades Orchestra Achieves High Rating at State MPA

by David Volz April 18, 2025

by David Volz April 18, 2025 2 minutes read

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Coral Glades Orchestra Achieves High Rating at State MPA

The Coral Glades Orchestra. {courtesy}

The Coral Glades High School Symphonic Orchestra earned a superior rating at the Florida Music Performance Assessment (MPA) on April 14 at Titusville High School.

The orchestra of 46 members performed three pieces of music that they had spent many hours rehearsing. They previously earned a superior, the highest rating, at the district MPA at Monarch High School in early March.

“It was a wonderful feeling to earn the superior rating, and I enjoyed seeing the joy on their faces when they realized what they had accomplished,” said director Tosha Knibb.

They worked with clinicians to improve with musicians from the South Florida Symphony. “The students in our orchestra love to express themselves through music, and we are a big family,” said Knibb.

After four years in the orchestra, Zaina Hassan, 18, a viola player from Coral Springs, was proud that her orchestra received a superior rating. “When we were performing at Titusville, we were competing and fighting to get that superior, and it was an amazing feeling when we got it,” she said.

A dedicated musician and senior with a 4.6 grade point average, Hassan will attend Florida State University next fall. There, she plans to study political science and minor in music. She hopes to continue playing the viola and performing with an orchestra in college.

Alyssa Harris, Tosha Knibb and Zaina Hassan. Coral Glades High Orchestra. {David Volz}

Another talented musician is Alyssa Harris, a 16-year-old junior from Coral Springs. She plays the violin, has a 5.0 GPA, and enjoys math. “We put in much practice, and earning the superior was a good feeling. I love being a part of the orchestra, and we have really bonded,” she said.

Knibb is looking forward to next year and wants to continue building the orchestra program at Coral Glades.

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Author Profile

David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.