Student musicians gather in the Tampa Convention Center on Jan. 11. Months of practices and rehearsals have led sisters junior Presley and senior Peyton Haney to the Florida Music Education Association All-State Orchestra, one of the most selective music programs in the state. This accomplishment places the sisters among the top orchestra players in the state.

“You always hear about these orchestra players in the county, and you think these are larger-than-life figures,” junior and viola player David Amador said. “But when you see them absolutely stuffing their faces with Texas Roadhouse bread rolls, you realize that they’re just like any of us. Any of us can become as good as them.”

Presley Haney said she has always made music a priority in her life.

“For me, music has always been one of my main priorities above all,” Presley Haney said. “It’s always been a part of my childhood to now, and all the competitions and orchestras that I’ve been in have really meant a lot to me. I want to keep that drive.”

For Peyton Haney, her musical passion began at an orchestra concert in second grade.

“[After the concert, my parents] got me this toy violin because they thought they just satisfied that desire to play,” Peyton Haney said. “Eventually, they allowed me to go take lessons and started supporting me.”

One of the orchestras that both sisters participate in is Brevard Strings Academy (BSA). After taking part in an orchestra camp at the University of Central Florida, both sisters came under orchestra director Erik Bryan for private and ensemble lessons.

“I joined BSA after I left my past teacher and after talking with Mr. Bryan at the UCF camp, which was a really eye-opening experience and made me want to improve more as a person,” Peyton Haney said. “BSA helped me to improve as a player, and helped me make amazing connections.”

Bryan said their talent was evident from the start.

“They’re both incredibly talented and incredibly smart,” Bryan said. “Both of them have done really well and excel technically on their instrument.”

Orchestra teacher Melanie Richardson, who has taught both sisters since seventh grade, said their talent does not go unnoticed in her third period orchestra class.

“They were always good players,” Richardson said. “[They have] good technique, can read music well and can pick things up quickly. I know for a fact that they’re consistently practicing all the time. One of the most interesting things to me is how they went from being violin players to being really fantastic viola players.”

For Presley Haney, switching from the violin to viola was personal.

“I just found that it resonated with me a lot more as a person and a musician,” Presley Haney said. “It was a little calmer than the violin, and I just loved it way more. I’m not going to be committed to the violin, so might as well fully commit [to viola].”

All-State and All-County, which both sisters are consistently part of, are widely considered among the most competitive orchestras in the state.

“The beauty of those programs is that through a true audition process … you have truly selected the upper echelon,” Richardson said. “It’s a selective process. They get two scales from a list. They don’t even know which ones it’s going to be, and then they have to sight read. There’s a lot going into that type of audition, and it’s not easy.”

These experiences have allowed Presley Haney to hone in her skills among other musicians from Florida.

“All-State and All-County are genuinely some of the most amazing experiences I’ve had in my life,” Presley Haney said. “It may sound dramatic, but…the people you meet, they’re all very dedicated musicians. Everyone likes music, you mean a lot to everyone there, and it’s just so nice being around a group of people who really care and playing with such enthralling music. It’s incredible.”

For the 2025 All-State, Presley Haney was the principal viola, meaning the single highest performer, for the “9th & 10th Grade Concert Orchestra.” Peyton Haney was the fourth chair viola for “11th & 12th Grade Symphonic Orchestra,” meaning she was the group fourth ranking viola in the state.

“It was my initial desire in eighth grade to keep up with everyone and be the best that I could,” Peyton Haney said. “I would just continuously practice and practice every single day for as long as I could to prepare for the next audition, and eventually, that led me to achieving principal chair my sophomore year, and fourth chair my junior year, which is considerably sought and hard as a junior.”

Junior and violin player Alma Wise said that the sisters’ drive makes the orchestra better.

“They actually care about sounding better to make the group sound better,” Wise said. “I think that impresses me more than individual playing ability.”

Richardson said their leadership leaves an evident mark on the program.

“The more players that we have doing what they have done slowly brings the quality, the caliber of the group and the technique level up a little more,” Richardson said. “[It’s] exciting because that opens up a range of new things we can do as a class.”

“Me and my sister, we hate each other lovingly, and we’re our best rivals,” Peyton Haney said. “Right now, we basically compete against each other for seating, and we try to advance against each other.”

In addition to their talent and motivation, Bryan said their attitude contributes to their success as players.

“The most important thing is that they’re really great people,” Bryan said. “They’re really kind, and they both have a great sense of humor. Outside of being epic musicians, they’re really great students.”