Lasaundra Belcher takes a selfie everywhere she goes, and Largo was no exception. An expert in orchestral directing, the clinician travels across the world to guest-conduct large-scale orchestras similar to the all-county program.
Cheers and applause vibrated through Largo High School’s auditorium on Jan. 8 as dozens of high school students from across the county stomped their feet in unison.
“It’s the Pinellas County All-County Orchestra,” exclaimed Belcher, the 2026 All-County Orchestra conductor.
The Pinellas County Music Educators Association and the City of St. Petersburg host an annual orchestra, band, and chorus program for elementary through high school students across the district.
“Each all-county and each all-state has its own flavor. That flavor is whatever the students bring. Everyone is different, so it doesn’t matter to me if I’m at Walt Disney Concert Hall or Largo, Florida—I’m gonna give everybody the same attention and 100 percent,” Belcher said. This year, Belcher brought the ensemble to life with her lighthearted conducting style.
The concert took place at the Mahaffey Theater in downtown St. Petersburg on Jan. 10, featuring elementary, middle, and high school programs. The high school group was the last to perform in the packed theater, led by 17-year-old concertmaster Aidan Haseltine.
Haseltine, a four-time participant in the all-county program, shared with the Tribune that this was his most anticipated moment of the day.
“I was really excited—I didn’t expect it—I was just really excited since I hadn’t been concertmaster for a bit,” he said. During three days of rehearsals leading up to performance day, the senior led the orchestra with skill and musical awareness.
To Haseltine, his role meant exuding confidence so others would follow suit. He has seen that presenting confidence allows his peers to perform with more poise. “It forces me to be better even if I’m not able to be. I have to use more musicality and more of my body to cue things,” he added.
Freshman William Clark similarly tries to lead his section as much as possible. Holding the role of principal bass player with only four years of experience, the 14-year-old had to prove his mettle to the orchestra.
Throughout the 14-hour rehearsal process spanning four days, the conductor focused on candor among the orchestra. Halfway through Thursday’s practice session, she asked the students for their honest opinions on their progress.
“The concert is for parents, but the rehearsal and what we learned in it—that’s for us. To me, that’s the most rewarding part; to see the transformation from the first hour to the eighth hour,” she emphasized. Belcher prioritizes growth within the community and deems rehearsals the most important part of the learning experience.
The director firmly believes in setting expectations at the start to prevent future challenges. Her professional demeanor encourages players to take their hours of hard work and shape them into a cohesive whole.
“Everyone is welcome and valued no matter where they are sitting,” Belcher told the students, repeating the sentiment several times.
