More Surprises in Store!

Welcome to another exciting issue of Disney onStage. As a new school year begins, full of new challenges and possibilities, you should be aware that new things are happening at Disney as well. In this issue, you'll read about the revamping of Downtown Disney's Dock Stage and the opening of the Premiere Theater in Disney's Hollywood Studios. These new state of-the-art venues will give visiting performers at Walt Disney World even more opportunities to do what they do best. You'll also get the scoop on the first annual Disney Step Classic for high school and college step-dancing teams, and you'll fi nd out more about the latest ground breaking attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios: The American Idol Experience.

Of all the new things taking place here, though, the biggest is the Disney Jazz Celebration, which will set all of Walt Disney World swinging in February 2009. This celebration of improvisational music, open to middle and high school vocal and instrumental groups alike, is our latest and most ambitious venture yet into the performance and preservation of what many consider America's fi nest art form. It follows the remarkable success of the "Jazz It Up" and "Soundtrack Session: Jazz" workshops, which just so happen to be in this issue.

The great happenings don't end there. As promised in the last issue, we've got the full story on the selection of the 2 millionth Disney Magic Music Days performer. That joyous March day was a true milestone in the history of Disney Performing Arts, and a peak experience for one very lucky French horn and mellophone player from Ellicott City, Maryland. At the same time as we look back fondly over 2 million performers, we also look ahead to the 25th anniversary of Disney Magic Music Days in 2010, and we send out a call for stories about famous alumni of the program: Please get in touch!

On behalf of the Disney Parks around the globe, thank you for continuing to make music. Now, on with the show!

Tim Hill
Director