theStearns

A 2009 Disneyland All-American College Band performance last summer in Disneyland featuring the Three Little Pigs (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Last summer our daughter and 20 other students from colleges and universities throughout the nation converged on the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calf. for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For 11 weeks these music students were provided the opportunity to perform with oversight from an impressive collection of Disney entertainment professionals, renowned clinicians, and accomplished musicians.

The photo above features the “Three Little Pigs” during a Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? medley segment staged on the forecourt of Cinderella’s Castle. This is Spring Break week in Texas. The three ladies crouching, including our daughter, reunited to attend the Houston Rodeo where Lady Antebellum performed. They moved their party to the Salt Lick Bar-B-Que for ribs and brisket. They jammed in our daughter’s apartment, celebrated on Austin’s famed 6th Street, and will soon be headed to the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. They’ve been texting, Skyping, dancing, laughing, singing, and celebrating non-stop.

2009 All-American College Band performs at Main Street Train Station (photo by Kenn Stearns)

After a busy summer in Southern California all the AACB students returned to their respective universities and colleges. Some of the students participate in their school bands. Our daughter is a student at The University of Texas at Austin and is a member of the Longhorn Band which recently enjoyed the opportunity to travel to Pasadena for the BCS National Championship football game.

For our daughter it was a chance to return to Southern California. She reconnected with Disney employees, friends, and former AACB members. She also enjoyed performing in Disneyland with the Longhorn Band and at the same Main Street Train Station.

Longhorn Band performs at Main Street Train Station

When our daughter was younger we took her to the Disneyland and Disney World resorts. Like many young girls she dreamed of being a princess and one day marching down Main Street in the parade. It comes as no surprise that for our daughter ”Where Dreams Really Do Come True” is much more than a marketing tagline and holds a special meaning.

Tomorrow The University of Texas at Austin will meet the The University of Alabama for the controversial BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Longhorn coach Mack Brown told ESPN, “It is very unusual to have two undefeated teams in the national championship. The BCS got lucky.”

• Longhorns v. Crimson Tide
• Mack Brown v. Nick Saban
• Colt McCoy v. Greg McElroy
• Longhorn Band v. Million Dollar Band
• Burnt orange v. Crimson

The Longhorn Band arrives at the Rose Bowl

My youngest daughter is a fourth-generation student at UT, a proud member of the Longhorn Band, and frequently causes us to send the university money for tuition and other expenses. She got to SoCal yesterday, performed with the band at Universal Studios today, marches in the game tomorrow, performs at Disneyland on Friday, and was just captured in the local Houston ABC affiliate evening news story from Pasadena, CA on the championship game. Win or lose, our daughter and all the other students are the real winners by enjoying the opportunity to participate in what promises to be a  memorable event. Let the games begin, and on behalf of our tuition dollars: Hookem!