Forest Glen’s Bands and Chorus Build a Music Program Worth Celebrating

by David Volz August 25, 2026

by David Volz August 25, 2026 2 minutes read

15Shares

Band director Jennifer Perez, Lamar Levene and Dr. Anthony Zoeller at Forest Glen Middle School. {David Volz}

Lamar Levene is excited about the new school year.

An eighth grader at Forest Glen Middle School, Levene plays the baritone saxophone and participated in the 2026 Seven-Star Honor Band over the summer in Orlando. He rehearsed and performed alongside talented musicians from around Florida, according to the school’s director of bands, Jennifer Perez.

Now he is looking forward to playing a leadership role in the school’s band program. He is a member of the recently created jazz band and the symphonic band.

“I love playing the saxophone, and I want to earn all-county and all-state honors this year,” said Levene.

The Forest Glen music program has achieved many successes over the years. More than 300 students participate in the band, drum line, and chorus programs, and the band program has earned many accolades.

The symphonic band and the concert band earned superior ratings at last year’s Music Performance Assessment (MPA). The jazz band earned an excellent rating in its first year.

Of the 73 students who participated in the solo ensemble MPA, 60 earned superior ratings for their solos and group performances, according to Perez.

“We have 18 kids in the jazz band, and they participate in two band classes. This is a new program for us, and I believe it will become bigger. The students in the jazz band can play various instruments, and they love being in the band,” said Perez.

The Forest Glen chorus program is also popular with students and has participated in community performances and assessments. The school has hosted the all-county chorus event over the past year and has performed at local nursing homes, according to Dr. Antony Zoeller, the director.

This year, the chorus will perform at Allegro Parkland and HarborChase of Coral Springs. The music program will participate in the school’s Veterans’ Day event, Zoeller said. He also sponsors the Student Government Association.

Despite the Forest Glen music program’s success and popularity, it faces some headwinds. The school has fewer students and is among a group of Broward County Public Schools the school board is considering closing. This could mean that many of the school’s seventh- and eighth-graders would become part of Coral Springs High School, and the sixth-graders would attend nearby elementary schools.

“Many students have really benefitted from this music program, and I hope it is not closed down,” said Zoeller.

Send Your News to Coral Springs’s #1 Award-Winning News Site Here. Don’t Miss Parkland Talk, Tamarac Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, Margate Talk, and Sunrise FL Talk.

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.