2 Millionth Performer

A 'Magic Music' Day in the Life - Preparing to celebrate the 2,000,000th performer

by Dianne Spoto

DISNEY MAGIC MUSIC DAY performances have been an entertainment staple since 1984, and during the last two-plus decades thousands of ensembles have entertained resort Guests. In 2008, a milestone awaits. The 2,000,000th performer will grace the Walt Disney World stage, and that student musician--like so many others--will know firsthand the excitement of Disney Magic Music Days.

"It's incredibly inspiring for all students," says Mitchell Smith, director of the Kilgore High School Marching Band in Kilgore, Texas. "It even inspires the younger kids to stay in the band program so they have the trip to look forward to, as we do this every few years. The kids that do attend have an unforgettable time." The details of transporting an entire school band crowd the minds of band directors and chaperones, and students are awash with new sights and sounds. But, it all falls away as a new day at Disney unfolds and the "we're here!" moment arrives. For Kilgore High, that moment came in a March parade before an international audience of thousands who lined the streets of the Magic Kingdom Park.

'We didn't sit around the hotel'

Not every band marches, and for some, it's all about donning their white shirts and black slacks, and assembling as they would in their school's auditorium, with one major difference: these bands are performing on a Walt Disney World Resort professional stage, and that experience is one that can leave an indelible impression on a young musician.

Preparing for one of these performances - unloading instruments, finding one's music, taking one's place under the lights and with the clatter of a nearby roller coaster - is another special aspect of a musical day in the park.

Perpetual motion is the name of the game. "We went to the park, changed, went backstage, did a brief warm-up, and then performed," says Steve Wessels, the director of the Cedar Park High School Marching Band in Cedar Park, Texas. "We didn't sit around the hotel for hours waiting for performance time." Once the students were ready to leave the hotel, a hired shuttle arrived and transported them to the performance site. A bus loaded with instruments and uniforms awaited them, just outside an immaculate and spacious changing facility that was only steps from where they played.

Peter Lemonds, the director of orchestras at Duluth High School in Duluth, Georgia, has his own philosophy behind the feel-good success of his school's trip: "There was not as much pressure on the kids because we chose to participate in a performance and not a competition," he says. "It was fun and lowkey. We put together a 25-minute program of light music, and there was no intermission--we performed straight through. I talked between the pieces, discussing the nature of each piece."

And once the performances ended, the students made for their favorite destination--the parks. "It was fun for the kids because it's non-stop activity, and with the safety of the enclosed park grounds, the kids were able to be a bit more autonomous in smaller groups," Lemonds says. "The park is very safe."

Fast Facts:

Disney Magic Music Days

Who: Musical, dance, drill team or other performing group

When: Year-round, baed on availability

To find out how your band can perform on the world's stage, visit www.magicmusicdays.com