The Abraham Lincoln Middle School Orchestra has long been one of the superior programs in Florida. Now, they’ll get the opportunity to showcase their talents on a national stage, having earned an invitation to perform at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival (NOF).  

According to an Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) press release, the festival, slated for Feb. 25-28, 2026, in San Francisco, “is one of the premier showcases for school and youth orchestras in the nation.”  

Taking part in the event not only gives students the chance to perform on a national stage but also to receive feedback from world-class musicians and be present at performances and workshops that encourage future musical growth, the release said.  

In an interview with Mainstreet, Todd Eckstein, who has led the LMS Orchestra program for the past 18 years, said he was “proud” to receive the recognition from the ASTA. 

“This is an acknowledgement of all of their [the students] hard work that they’ve done throughout the school year, and of the great things that we’re doing in terms of student achievement, making music, at Lincoln Middle School,” he said. “I feel like we’re doing unique things that are really special to our kids here.” 

Getting chosen for the festival was not an easy feat for the LMS Orchestra. 

“We went through a rigorous process,” Eckstein said. “We needed to submit our scores that we’ve received for the past five years. We needed letters of recommendation from outside of our school, and we needed to submit recordings of things that we had played this year.” 

That work has paid off for the LMS Orchestra, as only the finest ensembles across the U.S. earn an invitation to participate in the NOF, the release said.  

Eckstein said there are a total of 48 students who play strings in the LMS Orchestra. He added that the program is divided into two classes: advanced and beginner.  

“Of the advanced class, we’re probably going to have about 20 or so students join us on the trip [to San Francisco],” Eckstein said. 

The opportunity for the students to travel across the country and experience a new city is something Eckstein said he is also looking forward to. 

“For a lot of these kids, it’s the first time ever getting on an airplane,” he said. “It’s the first time ever leaving Gainesville. It’ll be a brand-new experience and a brand-new culture, a brand-new climate. It’s going to be pretty exciting to see their reaction to it all.” 

The orchestra is currently engaged in fundraising efforts to help cover the cost of travel and lodging for the trip. Anyone who is interested in helping the program can contact Eckstein at ecksteinj@alachuaschools.net. 

“We’re doing some standard fundraisers right now, but we’re going to have a donation program that will be going live pretty soon,” Eckstein said. “Every dollar of donation that people will give to us is going to go for the cause.” 

Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.