Music Department Departs for Disney

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Frankie, Jeremy, Emily, Alex, Mia, Cassidy, and Tyler

Cassidy McCormick, Staff Writer

This past month, the OLCHS music department took a 4 day trip to Orlando, Florida to perform and have fun at Disney World. Almost 100 students from the bands, choirs, and guitar group flew to Orlando on November 30th arriving at the hotel at nearly midnight.

Every morning the hotel provided a free breakfast buffet for the students. The first morning the music department took coach buses to Disney Springs. After a few hours of shopping, a trip up 400 feet in a hot air balloon, and walking around in dress clothes, the band performed in front of the lake for those at the park. Some songs that were played included,The Pink Panther, The Incredibles, God Only Knows, and songs from Moana. After the band’s performance, all the students took the buses to Animal Kingdom where many of them went on the new Avatar Pandora ride. The experience was incredible and unlike anything. Later that night everyone met in the bleachers to watch the water show that included boats, floating flowers and animals, and a light show. The students’ night ended in the hotel pool.

The next day was started at Magic Kingdom for the choir and at a music clinic for the band. At the clinic the band rehearsed and played Beauty and the Beast. The recording was placed over the actual dance scene from the movie. Choir then left for their clinic and the band arrived at Magic Kingdom. Turning the corner and seeing the beautiful castle is a breathtaking sight. At the choir clinic the students rehearsed and sung songs from Tangled and just like the band, their recording was placed over the movie scene. Once the choir got back, there was only a few hours left until the fireworks and castle light show. The castle was lit up for Christmas after the light show to look like it was covered in ice and snow. The characters from Frozen helped to light it up.


The third day the music department drove to Epcot. Each country was unique in its own way. A fun fact about Epcot is that Disney World only hires people who are from that country to work there. So if you’re in Japan, everyone working there is Japanese. The different countries helped to open up everyone’s eyes to different cultures and how they are all connected. After many hours of getting ready and rehearsing, the choir performed with other schools and professionals at the Candlelight Processional. While singing traditional Christmas songs, Whoopi Goldberg told the story of baby Jesus. According to choir student Emily Simmons, the experience was “a magical adventure”. “Whoopi walked passed me and brushed my right shoulder”, Emily exclaimed. While choir did a second performance, the band and guitar ensemble went back to the hotel for time at the hotel pool.

After 3 days of practices and performances, the group finally had a day dedicated to fun. At Hollywood Studios, the music department took a photo in the matching trip T-shirts in front of the giant guitar. This was followed by everyone getting in line and going on the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster together. Later in the afternoon everyone packed up the coach buses and headed for the airport. Eventually, the plane safely landed after a lot of turbulence flying through the windy and rainy weather back in Chicago.

The experience was once in a lifetime. To be able to take a plane and go to the “happiest place on earth” with your friends and classmates was a truly magically trip. Everyone enjoyed the 80° sunny weather of Florida, and speaking for almost everyone I think it can be said that the first step out of the airport into the 40° rainy weather of Chicago was truly a dread. But a huge thanks goes out to Mr. Levy, Mr. Baglione, Mr. Habersat, Mrs. Wong, and all of the parent chaperones for dealing with such a large group of musicians for way longer than any school day.