History in the Making!

Welcome to another exciting issue of Disney onStage. With the start of the fall season, we turn our attention toward an event worth celebrating: the upcoming 25th anniversary of Disney Magic Music Days in 2010. It's been an honor and a privilege to welcome more than two million performers into our parks since the program began in 1985. As you'll read elsewhere in these pages, a considerable number of those performers have gone on to successful careers in the entertainment industry, and they credit their early experiences at Disney for inspiring them to keep doing what they love.

Anniversaries are often a time for reflection. Fittingly enough, we've taken the opportunity provided by this milestone to look back at the history of both Disney Magic Music Days and the Disney Performing Arts Workshops. The growth of these programs is a source of great pride for all of us here at Disney, and it's inspiring to remember how much has been achieved.

But to us, history isn't just something that's been relegated to the past; it's something that we're still making every day. That's why so much of this issue is actually devoted to new attractions and events. Two recently opened venues at Walt Disney World Resort, the Premiere Theater and the Waterside Stage, are offering new possibilities to performers. The first Disney Jazz Celebration has deepened our connection to the world of jazz. The Disney Step Classic is returning for a second action-packed year. And the Disney Performing Arts Workshops keep on expanding—the latest addition to the program, inaugurated just this year, is a special series of theatrical workshops held at Disneyland in California.

On behalf of the entire Disney organization, thank you for helping to make this silver anniversary possible, and for continuing to make music—and history—with us. Now, on with the show!

Tim Hill
Tim Hill
Director

 
 

Featured Programs

Disney Magic Music Days (Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland) Student and community performing groups of 10 or more, such as bands, orchestras, vocal groups, and dance/drill ensembles, are given the opportunity to perform "on stage" for approximately 20 minutes at select locations in Walt Disney World Resort. (Application, audition tape and photograph required)

Disney Jazz Celebration (February 18-20, 2010 - Walt Disney World Resort) Disney's second annual competitive performance weekend for middle and high school jazz ensembles features renowned adjudicators from across the country, master classes and nightly concerts by jazz celebrities.

Festival Disney (select weekends from March 5-May 8, 2010 - Walt Disney World) This series of competitive performance events is open to all middle and high school concert and marching bands, string orchestras, full orchestras, jazz and choral ensembles, show choirs and auxiliary units. A top panel of adjudicators provides feedback in all categories and conducts personalized clinics for each group. (No audition required)

Disney STEP Classic (Fall 2010 - Walt Disney World) For this action-packed weekend, Disney hosts competitive step dancing teams from middle schools, high schools, colleges and community centers. The Disney STEP Classic is presented in conjunction with the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and ESPN Regional Television, which will be filming portions of the event to air on ESPN2.