On Thursday, March 5, 2026, Aiken County orchestra students had a chance to work side by side with music education professionals during a one-day immersive music education experience called the Garcia Orchestra Festival. Hosted at USCA’s Etheredge Center and presented by Public Education Partners of Aiken County, the Garcia Orchestra Festival brought 6-12th grade students together to learn fundamental and advanced techniques while showcasing brand new performance-ready songs.
The Garcia Orchestra Festival just celebrated its 16th year and this year marked a record-number of participants including 185 students. This exciting anniversary has been in the making since 2005, when Carlos and Karen Garcia contributed to PEP as a five-year effort to support string instrument music in Aiken County middle and high schools. This support continues today, with the Garcia's being the Signature Sponsor of the Garcia Orchestra Festival.
North Augusta High School Orchestra Director Samantha Newcomb loved seeing the progression students made over the course of the day.
“It's so fun to see them, from the first notes in the morning, to the last notes in the evening,” Newcomb said. “They're so dedicated to their craft, they have so much passion for the music that they create, and then they have so much passion sharing that music with others.”
Three clinicians; Naiesha Wise, Dr. Laura Tomlin, and Julie Russel, worked with the middle school and high school orchestras, which were divided based on grade level. Students learned and collaborated with instructors to showcase what they learned.
“Music education is one of those very few subjects that is such a collaborative environment. You know, in a math class, you're typically just working with yourself to solve an equation, but in the music community, it brings together like minded people celebrating a common interest and a common passion,” Newcomb shared. “They are able to create music together, and they make these lifelong friendships that just continue for the rest of their lives.”
North Augusta senior viola player Laney Wall said that Garcia Orchestra Festival is one of the places she learns the most in her music education.
“I feel like I retain the information a lot better and getting to have new instructors come in, I get to learn this new information. If we have a viola clinician, they will really work with us, and I can really perfect my technique. It just really developed me, and Garcia is more than just that,” Wall shared. “It was a little hard for me today for this to be my last Garcia, because it has meant so much to me.”
Laney Wall was one of over a hundred students that participated in the Garcia Orchestra Festival. Participants came from Aiken High School, Aiken Scholars Academy, Kennedy Middle School, North Augusta High School, Paul Knox Middle School, Ridge-Spring Monetta Middle/High School, Silver Bluff High School, Wagener-Salley High School and the AAA Homeschool Band.
“When you practice, you're usually by yourself. It's really hard to get a feel for all the music because you don't hear all the parts. When you get into a big group like this, especially being in a symphony, because every day, we're in just an orchestra. We don't have all the wood winds, all the brass. And getting to have that is so awesome.” Wall said. “You get to hear all these different ebb and flow moments within the music that you never really hear when it's just the orchestra.”
Two scholarships were awarded during the March 5th showcase to North Augusta seniors Gabrielle Alaniz and Karisa Weeks. Both students were four-year members of the NAHS symphony and participants of the Garcia Festival.
Newcomb enjoyed seeing students across Aiken County share what they have put together after a long day of music education.
“As the concert is presented, they're full of confidence.” Newcomb said. “They're full of power, and to watch them at the very end of that standing ovation, the smiles on their faces, and the excitement that they have makes the whole day so worth it.”
