Local News

Madera South Band Marches Main Street Disneyland

ANAHIEM, CA - The Madera South Marching Band and Color Guard stepped off at the Happiest Place on Earth last Friday to march down Main Street USA. After a year of planning and fundraising the Madera South Band performed for guests and Stallion fans at Disneyland.

Three charter buses left Madera South Wednesday at 4:35pm to arrive in Anaheim six hours later. The Stallion Band was invited to participate in the Disney Performing Arts concerts which are a part of the Disney Youth Programs. These year-round programs give schools from all over the country a chance to march in the parks parades or perform on the main stages at both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure for the park's guests. Following their performances the groups take part in a workshop backstage at Disneyland.

Earlier in the day the Madera South Concert Choir performed on the California Adventure Hollywood Back Lot. Choir director Roger Harabedian and his group of 35 high school singers took the stage to perform the six songs they have been rehearsing for the last four months.

Then the Madera South Marching Band stepped off near “It’s a Small World” to march from Fantasy Land to Main Street USA. A few dozen friends and family lined up on Main Street with hundreds of other Disneyland guests to watch the Stallions flawless performance of Christmas and Disney theme songs. For the first time, Big Valley News filmed the bands performance live on Facebook which has now been viewed over 10,000 times.

The day before several Stallion music students attended a workshop teaching the kids about how a soundtrack goes together with Disney films and attractions around the park. Through artistic sound analysis, a musical scavenger hunt throughout the Disneyland Park, and a creative review of the hunt's results, students gain a hands-on understanding of how music can create emotion, atmospheric tone and a vivid sense of time and place.

Disney Performing Arts Workshops fulfill many of the standards set forth in the National Core Arts Standards in which students create, perform, respond, and connect thru the practice of artistic processes.

The program offers experiences suitable for all proficiency levels in four disciplines including: vocal, theatre, dance and instrumental. Since Disney Performing Arts was launched, more than 50,000 groups from every state in America and six different continents have participated in the program.

So when you are asked to buy a tub of cookie dough or buy a ticket to a performance, remember you are not just sending a youngster on a fun field trip. You are helping to support the development of the arts in Madera. These are opportunities that none of these kids will ever forget and the Madera community thanks you for it.