Posted by Alex Lapins on January 25, 2004 at 14:32:21:
In Reply to: Disney Collegiate Band posted by Steve on January 25, 2004 at 01:46:45:
well, hmm. my band was kind of infamous. They had new people involved in the selection process my year, and the orlando band was selected only by playing scores, not personality or interest in marching bands. so it was a great band, but by week 3 (when you 1st perform) and definitely by week 11 (when you are about to go home) there were some unhappy campers. apparently the california band was as fun and happy as usual, but they didn't play quite the same level charts we played, at least not from memory. anyway, my year there were college bands in all four parks (CA, FL, paris, tokyo) with an orchestra, featuring the mighty Charles Ortega, at Epcot (geez, that was a good gig.)
now it's just california, and the past few bands seem to have been happy again.
so... it's a very capable group, and a fun though bizzare way to spend a summer. plus it pays. at the audition; be a disney person, show off from start to finish, play something jazzy or at least off-kilter if you can (i played the H. Stevens sonatina), and be ready to read jazz melodies and bass lines. I'm not sure what the doubling situation is now, but i'm sure they'll take at least one non-doubling tuba again.
When i was playing there were no euphoniums involved.
-Alex Lapins, Orlando band '98.