By: Shavonne Farley Contributing Writer ‘24 & Eve Nevelos, Editorial Staff ‘24

This year, the Ramapo Indian Hills District Band and Choir traveled to Anaheim, California to perform in Disney California Adventure, complete a soundtrack session on the Disney Imagination Campus, explore Disneyland, and visit Huntington Beach for team-bonding. Over 100 students attended the trip. 

The Indian Hills and Ramapo bands performed as one ensemble during their performance on Disneyland’s Hollywood Backlot Stage. Their program consisted of David Schaffer’s “Whispers of the Wind,” John Wasson’s arrangement of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Michael Brown’s arrangement of “Jersey Boys,” Steven Reineke’s “Heaven’s Light,” and Scott Watson’s “Terracotta Warriors.” The group rehearsed three times outside of school hours in preparation for the performance, and the collection of music consisted of songs chosen by both Indian Hills’s director, Mr. Friedman, and Ramapo’s director, Mr. Sloezen. “The recording session was outstanding. I thought it was a great experience for everyone. It was high-tech, like the way it is in a recording studio, and it was a lot of fun,” said Mr. Friedman about the band’s recording session on the Disney Imagination Campus. 

The RIH District Choir performed “Baba Yetu,” “Hold Steady With the Gate,” “The Water is Wide,” “Happy Together,” “Stand in the Light,” and “Chains.” Several members of each choir were soloists, including a special feature from Michael Reisch, Indian Hills freshman, on cello. “I had a lot of fun, the choir workshop was a fun experience that I gained a lot of knowledge from. I made friends at Ramapo and it was a great way to make friends overall,” says Hills freshman Ryleigh Burchell.

Because the trip was March 15th through 18th, students were lucky enough to visit during the Disney100 Celebration, which consisted of a new ​​World of Color performance, special edition merchandise, fireworks, and unique decorations; and Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, which featured food and drinks from around the world. In the afternoons of March 16th and 17th, the group was able to roam around the parks, visiting all of the available attractions. “I loved Disneyland. The rides were great, and it was actually quite big,” said Hills junior Hannah Lewis, adding, “Everyone came together and made sure no one got lost or left behind. It really made me appreciate the privilege of going on a trip with friends, and even though I was far from home, I felt comfortable and secure.”