Friday, March 8 was a frigid day in New Jersey…but not for the MLHS band, as they were getting ready for the biennial field trip to Disney World. Despite the early (like, 2:30 AM early) wake-up call, everyone was eager for the long-awaited Florida trip.
Upon the plane’s 9 AM arrival in sunny Florida, students were excited to feel the warm breeze and to see the swaying palm trees. On that first day, MLHS students visited Magic Kingdom, which is always as magical as the name suggests. There are few experiences as breathtaking as walking down the famous Main Street and seeing the famous castle at the park entrance.
The first day flew by as quickly as the rides: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, the Pirates of the Caribbean, and many others. In addition to the thrilling rides, many students took photos in front of the famous Disney landmarks, bought pairs of the iconic Mickey Mouse ears, and sipped on Tomorrowland milkshakes, feeling completely immersed in the park’s magic. At night, the students gathered in the crowd of other Disney-goers to watch the “Happily Ever After” fireworks show after retiring to their hotel rooms–tired, but happy.
And, believe it or not, students got to continue making such wonderful memories each day after. The following few days brought Disney’s other parks: Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.
In addition to visiting the parks, MLHS band got the opportunity to perform for other Disney vacationers as well as participate in an instrumental workshop. To prepare for the performance, the band began to practice a few pieces in early February. Combined practices were included, as well as a nighttime rehearsal during which everyone felt the buzz of excitement at the soon-approaching trip.
Next to the beautiful lagoon in Disney Springs, an outdoor shopping complex, MLHS band played “America” from West Side Story, a medley of various songs from Pirates of the Caribbean, and a crowd favorite, “Disney at the Movies” by John Higgins. The crowd before the stage grew as the performance went on and passers-by recognized nostalgic tunes.
Another memorable experience was participating in Disney’s “You’re Instrumental” workshop, held in an off-site Disney building. For two and a half hours, students sight-read and worked through classic Disney hits, such as the Indiana Jones theme, “Arabian Nights” from Aladdin, and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from The Little Mermaid. The fun and educational workshop was led by Scott, head of the Main Street Saxophone Quartet in which he plays the bass saxophone.
After learning the fundamentals of sight-reading with confidence, students recorded a medley from the movie Moana. Later, this recording was paired with various clips from the movie, allowing students to feel like true Disney Cast Members.
The highlight for Mr. Bernotas was seeing everyone perform in the studio as well as the performance, as it was everyone else’s highlight as well. He hopes that everyone will cherish this memory for life, as he will!
The four days in Disney…bonding with friends, performing childhood favorites, and experiencing real Disney magic…were definitely memorable for all. Along the way, the beloved trip chaperones, Mr. Henry, Nurse Wojcik, Mr. Price, Mr. Vallies, and Ms. Seibert cared for each and every student. It was especially memorable as it was the very last Florida trip for Mr. Bernotas, band director of more than twenty years, as he heads onto his exciting new job. Until the next year, students will be humming “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” and dreaming about reliving their amazing experiences.
0
0
Average Rating