Tell us about your education and professional journey.
I am above all a singer and guitarist. My professional journey began a long time ago, as I first performed in piano bars, rock clubs, and during special events.
These are perfect places to learn more about this profession! I then explored the worlds of jazz and musicals in greater depth and studied a broad range of modern vocal techniques relating to pop music, jazz, and musicals.
I also served as a vocal director for numerous shows, including “Romeo and Juliet,” “The Lion King,” “Mamma Mia” and “Sister Act.”
You started as a vocal coach at Disneyland Paris. What inspired you to collaborate with Disneyland Paris at the time? Why did you join the company later?
My profession as a vocal coach brought me to Disneyland Paris. In 2015, I met with show director Christophe Leclercq to help teams prepare for “The Forest of Enchantment: A Disney musical adventure” show.
This experience gave me an opportunity to discover the resort’s incredible artistic universe and meet with talented teams that would go to great lengths to ensure the success of every show. I also realized that there were countless opportunities to bring new projects to life!
These are the reasons why I wanted to become part of the story. Hence, I submitted my application and began my journey at Disneyland Paris as a vocal manager.
What is different about practicing your profession at Disneyland Paris?
One thing that is different at Disneyland Paris is that we don’t manage music for only one show, but we manage it for an entire resort!
Our guests can hear music across the resort from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave.
Therefore, addressing the following points is truly important: What stories do we want to tell? How could different musical worlds coexist in one same place?
When is it relevant to attract attention? These are only a few questions that our teams try to answer every day.
The world of music is boundless and constantly evolving.
You now serve as a music manager. How many Cast Members are part of your department? What are their different professions?
Our department consists of six full-time Cast Members, including a department coordinator, three sound engineers working in the recording studio, an apprentice and myself.
We also call upon the services of a team of specialized consultants to assist us with some projects.
All of these professions are both technical and artistic. Our field of expertise is fascinating, as music creation is not only based on very technical foundations, such as score writing and sound management, but it also always requires an artistic approach. As such, we constantly seek to leverage new techniques and try to be as creative as possible!
What role do you play in a show like the Pixar one? What were your job responsibilities? Did this project have any special requirements? Did you face any particular challenges?
Generally speaking, the music producer assigned to the project is in charge of all of the phases of the music creation process, from the project development stage to the show debut phase.
He/she follows the instructions provided by the show director(s) to complete his/her work.
Jonathan Barr was given this role as part of the “TOGETHER: a Pixar Musical Adventure” show. I became involved when I became Music Manager, especially to help musicians prepare for the live performances that will be delivered during the show.
We sure face many challenges during any music creation project! But this particular show – which features many new experiences – is a daily challenge for all of our teams! Yet, I can already tell you how much I am proud of all the hard work that has been put into this project and I just can’t wait for our guests to discover it.
Music plays a major role in the show. During every performance, live musicians will pay homage to the timeless beauty of Pixar’s most memorable soundtracks while also performing an original score. The mix of a live musical ensemble and a soundtrack recorded with 54 musicians at the Nashville Studios will truly bring guests on an emotional journey.
Is there any musical project that will forever be engraved in your mind?
The Lion King show has always held a special place in my heart, from the day it debuted at the Mogador theater to the present day.
Therefore, “The Lion King: Rhythms of the Pride Lands” will forever be engraved in my mind!
Some of my dearest memories include creating music and arrangements with the arranger Steve Sidwell, meeting with our amazing group of singers and collaborating with our sound, casting, and production partners.
This show is part of the most incredible adventures I’ve been fortunate to take part in.
Have you noticed any changes in music production at Disneyland Paris over the past few years?
Of course! And fortunately!
One must keep in mind that the world of music is constantly evolving.
Disney songs are extremely powerful. They are part of the lives of so many people and have touched the hearts of several generations.
Every day, we can notice how each of us is emotionally attached to these masterpieces. It is our responsibility to find a way to harmoniously combine nostalgia – that we all feel when we listen to our favorite songs – with innovation.
This is one of our key missions within the music department, and we definitely intend to successfully overcome the challenge!