Disney World Trip

By Lexi B.

Spring break of 2025, the Roland-Story Marching Band got the thrilling opportunity to perform at Disney World in Orlando, Florida! The band hopped on a bus around 11 a.m. on March 16th and headed up to Minneapolis to take off on their flight to Orlando. This trip was not just a vacation, but an opportunity to showcase their talent by marching through the iconic Magic Kingdom on their first day there. The band was directed by drum major Kelsey Johnston. The band paraded down Main Street, the students felt excitement from performing in front of families and tourists, and creating memories that they will truly never forget. 

In addition to their performance at Magic Kingdom, the band spent the rest of their days exploring the various attractions across Disney World. They visited Universal Studios, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot, getting to experience the truly magical feeling of Disney World. With lots of thrilling rides and enchanting shows, the students experienced some of the best that Disney has to offer. This was a great way to create memories and bonds with the people around them.

One of the highlight opportunities was a special clinic where they focused on a piece titled “Enchanted Spaces” by Samuel R. Hazo. They were clinched by the Director of Bands, Aaron Leftowitz, in Keene Hall. They showed off their skills and learned different techniques. It was a great opportunity for the band to go further in depth with the song that they had played in their previous concert back in February. 

Highlight specific memories, Senior Brooklyn Richardson states, “Watching the Fantasmic show was definitely a top favorite memory from this trip.” After a full day at Hollywood Studios, the band met up to watch Disney’s Fantasmic show. It features fireworks, characters, live actors, water effects, pyrotechnics, lasers, music, audio-animatronics, searchlights, decorated boat floats, and mist screen projections. It was a fan favorite, as stated by many members of the band. 

To wrap up this amazing visit, the band took a trip to Epcot to see the different countries and cultures provided at Disney. A lovely way to end the trip with an acrobatics show called “Drawn to Life.” This was an unforgettable trip for these kids and left them with tons of stories and memories to share as they headed back home to Iowa. 

Location: Florida, USA

Popular posts from this blog

Back in the Swing of Things: The Return of Roland-Story’s Jazz Band

By Mason S. The Roland-Story Jazz Band is gearing up for a year of swinging songs, soulful solos, and jaw-dropping performances. After placing 3rd last year at the Iowa Jazz Championships, this year's band has big shoes to fill, especially to keep the rich musical tradition alive and prove that they are one of the top ensembles in the entire state. Students have been working hard to perfect their musical selections, from big-band Jazz Standards to modern funk hits. Lead trombone player Bradey Haberl said, “I think this year's music is some of the best I’ve ever played. It's definitely my favorite by far, but it is also by far the most difficult music we have ever played. This increased difficulty in music is not without reason. The rhythm section currently comprises all returning players: Aubrey Britten on bass, Cael Vermeer on piano, Mason Schnurstein on guitar, with Ella Murphy and Eli Van Hove both on percussion. The rhythm section is the glue that keeps the band togethe...
Read more

Roland-Story at The Iowa Jazz Championships

By Bradey H. On April 2nd, the Roland-Story Jazz Band played at the Scheman Building in Ames for the annual Iowa Jazz Championships. After placing first at the SCIBA (South Central Iowa Band Association) Jazz Festival to qualify for the championships, the band continued participating in contests and practicing four times a week to improve for this performance. Just a few weeks earlier, the band had clinics with retired Southeast Polk band director Ted Hagan and Drake jazz professor Bob Meunier. Using the advice from these two experts, the band finished polishing the four pieces they were going to play for the championships. The songs to be performed were “Hipper by the Dozen” by Al Horney, “Chicken Scratch” by Kris Berg, “Sagebrush” by Annie Booth, and “Hit the Bricks” by Gordon Goodwin. The band had only performed “Sagebrush” once before, so a majority of the practice time was devoted to it. In the final days leading up to the event, the band’s director, Kevin Masemann, made the final...
Read more

The Road to State

By Kelsey J. We had been preparing for this one day for months. State came and went for the Roland-Story Jazz band. But it was the preparation leading up to it that mattered the most. The Roland-Story Jazz Band was set to compete on April 8th at 2:45 pm. The two weeks leading up to it were very stressful and filled with tons of practice. Between sectionals, full band practices, and clinics we were booked tight.  To be able to become better, you have to seek the help of the very best along the way. The Roland-Story Jazz band’s first clinic was with Bob Neunier. He came and listened to the band on March 31st. Bob is the Professor of Percussion & Director of Bands at Drake University, where he is the conductor of the wind symphony and director of percussion studies. The kids brought him in to help give tips and advice to the band. With his elite skill set, he helped to lock in the rhythm with the rest of the band. He gave new ideas and insights on how we could take our band from g...
Read more