Santa Eulàlia del Riu Municipal Band had an unforgettable experience at Disneyland Paris this Saturday. In front of an audience of 25,000, the 72-strong band paraded through the park's main streets for twenty minutes, bringing Ibizan music to an international stage.
Marilina, director of the municipal music school, told Periódico excitedly how they started the parade with 'Camino de rosas' and continued with the premiere of 'Santa Eulàlia de Riu', a piece composed by their director, Frank J. Cogollos. «Hearing melodies that we grew up with at home being played here at Disney has been amazing,» she said. The performance continued with 'Educándonos de Benejúzar' and ended with 'Paquito el chocolatero', drawing applause from the audience thanks to the power of the 72-strong band.
‘Everyone was visibly moved; the younger ones were thrilled and the adults were speechless,’ added Marilina. Carmen Ferrer, mayor, and Marisol Ferrer, councillor for culture, accompanied the musicians and were able to witness the impact of the performance first-hand. ‘We have promoted Santa Eulària in front of thousands of people and have set the bar very high for the band's musical standards,’ celebrated Marilina.
The parade coincided with the 25th anniversary of the music school and the band itself, which made the experience even more special.
Fortunately, the threat of rain held off for the full 20 minutes of the parade, enabling the musicians to enjoy every note, round of applause and glance from the audience as they made their way along the route.