Special to the Record
The Chelsea High School (CHS) Jazz Band and Cantare are heading to the world’s most magical stage, Disney World, this spring. This marks the first time in Chelsea High School history that the Performing Arts program has been invited to perform at Disney World, a milestone achievement for students, staff, and the entire Chelsea community.
In December, District Coordinator of Fine Arts Pete Pappavaselio submitted an audition video for consideration. The video featured music performed by students at the CHS Winter Concert this past December. After a competitive review process, CHS received the exciting news in January that they were officially selected to perform, an honor reserved for outstanding school-based performing arts programs from across the country.
“This experience represents a true trip of a lifetime for our Chelsea High School musicians.
Performing and learning at Walt Disney World gives students the rare opportunity to engage in a professional-level music environment, work with industry teaching artists, and see their hard work come to life on a nationally recognized stage,” said Pappavaselio. “For many of our students, this will be their first time traveling by plane, visiting another state, or participating in a large-scale performance outside of their community. Beyond the performance itself, this experience celebrates students’ dedication, resilience, and talent and broadens their sense of what they can achieve.
“It is not only an unforgettable experience, but a transformative one—building confidence, pride, and lifelong memories while showcasing the excellence of Chelsea High School’s performing arts program.”
Chelsea Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Almi G. Abeyta shared her pride in the students and staff.
“This opportunity exemplifies what happens when we believe in our students and invest in their passions,” Abeyta said. “Our performing arts students have worked tirelessly, and this invitation to perform at Disney World reflects both their excellence and the strength of our arts programming. This opportunity will be a memory our students carry with them for the rest of their lives. We could not be prouder of them.”
This historic trip would not have been possible without the support of State Senator Sal DiDomenico.
“Senator DiDomenico encouraged us to explore this opportunity for our students,” said Abeyta. “He helped us envision what was possible and supported us every step of the way. We are deeply grateful to him for planting the seed and for funding the entire trip so our students could participate.”
“This amazing and talented group of students has dedicated countless hours perfecting their performances and I am proud to help send them to what I’m sure will be a performance of a lifetime in Disney World,” said Senator DiDomenico. “I am a longtime supporter of Chelsea’s music program and now they will have the opportunity to travel to an exciting and magical new venue. The students deserve this opportunity, and I look forward to the continued success and accomplishments of our student-musicians and the dedicated staff.”
A total of 26 students will participate in the trip. While in Orlando, students will perform at Disney World, participate in educational workshops led by industry professionals, and enjoy time in the theme parks, creating an unforgettable experience with lifelong memories.
Kimberly, a Chelsea High School senior, is one of the students in the Jazz Band heading to Disney World. She grew up in a household filled with music, crediting her mother for inspiring her interest. That interest grew more as a CPS student as she sang in chorus groups in elementary school and started playing trombone in the middle school band. In addition to the trombone she also plays the trumpet, piccolo, flute and even a little bit of drums. She will sing “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra in Spanish as part of the Disney performance. She shared her insights on how she felt when she learned that the trip was happening.
“For me, I personally felt very starstruck because I know opportunities like this were given before to the band and to know that our dedication and our passion for music just got us to
Disney World is just very phenomenal,” she said.
Natalia, a singer of Cantare and another member of the senior class, grew up as a Chelsea Public Schools student, too. Her interest in music and singing developed in school. She has fond memories of singing at her Kindergarten Graduation at the ELC to performing in the district and school concerts at the elementary complex. She has been in Cantare for the last four years and hopes that this trip is the beginning of something special for students and the whole music department.
“I would say it’s a window of opportunity because if we’re able to go to Disney, I know that so many other students can get other opportunities because not everyone here is going to be able to go,” she said. “But if we take that first step and go to Disney, people can see what the music department is made of and can give more opportunities to others and maybe inspire people to even join music.”
For most of the students, this will be their first time in Disney World. This trip represents more than a performance – – it is a celebration of student talent, community support, and the power of the arts in Chelsea Public Schools.