The conductor raises his baton. The trumpets sound. And with that, the music of the Christmas story rings out.
After which, there’s a hush concerning the theater as a sea of golden robes movement down the aisles, filling the cavernous stage with a whole bunch of voices harmonizing into one highly effective, but light refrain. These sopranos, altos, tenors, baritones and basses symbolize the solid members of Walt Disney World Resort in one in all our most cherished traditions – the annual Candlelight Processional at EPCOT.
Through the years, Disney has invited a whole bunch of hundreds of solid members to the choice periods for the function of a lifetime – being a part of the volunteer choir. Annually, roughly 1,500 make the minimize and be part of a 50-piece orchestra, the Voices of Liberty and celeb narrators as all of them retell the story of Christmas to hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world.
“I’ve been so humbled to be a part of this magical custom for the previous 15 years,” stated bass Michael Wallace who’s a techniques analyst for Walt Disney World. He, his spouse Sandi and now his son Parker are all a part of this 12 months’s solid choir. “I simply cross my fingers as a result of it’s actually so particular and surreal to share the stage with my spouse and now my son.”
Like hundreds of different solid members who attend the choice periods, the Wallaces begin warming up their vocal cords in late summer season. Everybody receives music from the identical part of a vacation traditional and sings their vocal half accompanied by a pianist. These chosen for the choir then be part of rehearsals which might be carried out September by way of November.
“We don’t take our spots within the choir without any consideration,” stated Michael’s son Parker who can also be an analyst at Disney World. “It’s an honor to hold on our household’s distinctive vacation custom – it’s turn out to be a core reminiscence for all of us.”
And for those who’re questioning what number of occasions the Wallace household has sung the “Hallelujah Refrain” over the previous 15 years within the solid choir, Sandi thinks it’s simply 250 occasions! Now that’s one thing to sing about.
As one of many oldest traditions at Disney theme parks, the Candlelight Processional began at Disneyland Resort in 1958 with visitor choirs and carolers, and later expanded to Walt Disney World in 1971.
