During spring break of 2024, the Fallon band students embarked on a journey to Disneyland in Anaheim, a trip that was not just about fun, but also about showcasing their talent and hard work. The Symphonic band, Jazz band, Percussion Ensemble, and Colorguard, all part of this musical extravaganza, demonstrated their confidence and dedication through their stellar performances.
The Disney Anaheim trip was from April 4th to April 7th, with around 100 band and color guard students attending. Colorguard participated in a fantastic dance workshop by Disney’s Imagination Campus, and the band team also had the opportunity to join them. Students got to spend time in Disneyland and California Adventure when they were not at the festival or the workshops. Eleven chaperones, including Mr. Yassin and Mr. Garcia, supervised the students during the trip. Mr. Garcia says, “They [the chaperones] were spectacular and put in a ton of planning and effort to keep the students safe and unharmed.
The band team was very successful on this trip. Band teacher Mr. Garcia says that the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Percussion Ensemble competed in the Heritage Music Festival, which included groups from all across the USA. Each Fallon ensemble earned a gold rating, the highest possible ranking. Mr. Garcia is extraordinarily proud and satisfied with the performances and is happy to know when a performance reflects each ensemble’s and its students’ strengths.
A 7th-grade band student, Akhilesh Sharma, says that he enjoyed this trip and would do it again. Sharma explains that his favorite part was the “Award-winning and plaque ceremony, as well as going on the rides in Disneyland (almost) all day.” As much as he enjoyed the trip, there were a few downsides, such as being unable to go on some rides due to renovation. Akhilesh also thinks the trip was organized well, and he felt extremely safe. When asked if playing for awards was stressful, he states, “It was a little stressful due to minute imperfections and because some of us were scared of cracking the high notes, but other than those issues (which we fixed), we did really, really, well, and we were confident throughout.”
Overall, the Band and Colorguard had a unique and victorious trip, winning the highest rank possible. They worked incredibly hard to achieve the awards and created lasting memories as well!
