Regular Disneyland visitors might not know his name, but if they’ve watched any of the musical performers for the past few decades, they have seen his work — as he hired them.
His name: Stanford “Stan” Freese. His job: Director of Talent Booking at the Disneyland Resort, and now he’s retired.
His career with Disney started in 1971 as the first leader of the Walt Disney World band. But when they called him, it wasn’t to be the leader it was to play tuba for the band.
“They found out I had done some directing for other bands, and that’s how it worked out,” he said.
From there, he went on to become the leader of the Disneyland Band in 1973 for many years, and in that job helped to hire musicians for the other small groups that played there. That grew into a bigger responsibility as the park expanded into the Disneyland Resort.
But it all started with the tuba, or more correctly, the Sousaphone — that large version of the tuba seen in marching bands made famous by John Phillips Sousa.
He started playing tuba in elementary school, on a bet with some fellow students, who said he wouldn’t stay with it. They were wrong. He not only stayed with it, but also started playing after school with his trumpet playing father in Edina, Minn.
“That was the greatest thing. My dad transcribed trumpet solos into tuba solos. So, by the time I was in sixth-grade, I won the Minnesota State Championship Instrumentalist on the tuba by playing a trumpet solo,” said Freese.
That led to a call from Hollywood. So at 13, he flew to Hollywood and performed on “The Lawrence Welk Show,” as its first, and youngest, tuba soloist.
They asked if he wanted to perform full time, but with his parents in Minnesota, the answer was no.
“Probably the best thing I did, because it allowed me to do other things in life.”
Freese continued to play, however, in a small act at hotels and conventions. Eventually, he joined with a group called the Minnesota Wind Ensemble as their tuba player. Because of his prowess, he would frequently be up front as a soloist.
The group went on a tour in the U.S.S.R. in 1969 where Freese was featured on the Sousaphone, that got picked up by some news outlets leading to an invitation by then President Nixon to play at the White House during a dinner in which the Soviet Ambassador, Anatoly Dobrynin, was present.
After playing a solo, Freese was in a photo with Nixon, Henry Kissinger and Dobrynin. “Dobrynin said that my notes sounded better than the ones Kissinger was sending to him.”
A photo of that moment ended up on the front page of the New York Times the next day.
Besides working for Disney, Freese did small bits for 10 years on “Hee Haw”where Roy Clark was a fan and also played the tuba, and also appeared, in another first, as a tuba soloist at the Grand Ole Opry.
In fact, Freese’s tuba playing includes another first: The first tuba soloist to play in China and on the Great Wall.
Also, Freese helped organize “A Tuba Christmas” at the Disneyland Resort, which set a record for the most number of tuba players playing at once in concert.
Along the way, Freese helped to set up musical acts for Tokyo Disneyland, and other Disney parks — making sure the musicians were professional and disciplined.
“For me, the hiring of all these musicians is like a karmic responsibility. I am blessed with being able to provide great employment to great musicians.”
Contact the writer: meades@ocregister.com
