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April 2009 is full of important events related to the log-awaited release of Hannah Montana – The Movie.

On location at Hannah Montana - The Movie with members of the Williamson County Youth Orchestra and film director Peter Chelsom

In the Spring of 2008, the Williamson County Youth Orchestra was enlisted to provide 19 student musicians for the film, and ending up providing visual performances for two pieces on camera. During four days in June 2008, the student musicians – selected and rehearsed by Mark Johnson – performed in scenes with Miley Cyrus in a concert setting.

Appearing in a Smiley Hollow sequences is Mark’s string orchestra arrangement of the Rascal Flatts hit “Bless the Broken Road”, performed by the student orchestra on stage. A professional group of Los Angeles studio musicians did the actual sound recording of the soundtrack music for this sequence. In a second film sequence, the students again provided a string orchestra visualization of the chart-topping Miley Cyrus song “The Climb.”

“The students did a great job of learning each piece” Johnson said. “They were required to rehearse and be able to perform the song multiple times so that when the camera was on them, all of the visual elements of the songs – the bowing, phrasing, and other visual representations would be exactly in sync with the music. On stage, they were actually playing all of their parts along with the soundtrack playback. Several people associated with the filming were a little surprised to find out that all of the students could actually play the piece well, as well as look like they were playing the piece.”

Just like preparing for a concert performance, film making takes a lot of time to get everything right. Johnson adds: “We entered knowing that multiple takes would be necessary of each song. There were several hours of rehearsal necessary before arriving at the set and once we were on location to make sure we had everything right. Bow directions were a key issue in providing a unified and authentic look for the student orchestra. Facial expression and ‘getting into it’ were important whether it was the first take or the tenth.”

In between the scenes they were needed, the students idled with card games, conversation and the always-present cel phones. Each student was required per filming regulations to have a parent accompany them on the set each day. This provided many hours of time for developing friendships between students and parents. Students and family members were prohibited from taking photos or videos while on the set, and cameras were strictly monitored by security personnel. After filming on the last day, several photos were allowed although without key cast members or visual information that would reveal the movie plot.

Working with director Peter Chelsom was a highlight of the experience. “It was obvious that he has a great enjoyment in working with young people” said Johnson. “There were so many times during this shoot where he demonstrated incredible concentration and patience where needed. Working with a large cast, performing musicians and thousands of extras required exceptional abilities, especially in the outdoor heat. His ability to stay on task and get great results was a very useful lesson especially for musicians like us. Peter was most complimentary of the students and their work.”

On the last day of shooting, Chelsom posed with students for a picture on the set and enjoyed a farewell time with the students. “What surprised me the most” said Johnson “was that he asked to borrow a student violin for the photo, and then proceded to place his bow at the tip on the string as if starting a pickup note with an up-bow. I’m still surprised that he knew to do that – a gesture usually reserved for those who know how to perform on the instrument. He even knew how to hold the bow correctly in his right hand.”

After almost a year of keeping information about the movie under wraps with tight studio security, the moment has now arrived to enjoy the movie and watch the results. Mark and the students were interviewed by the local newspaper The Tennessean in an article featured on April 5. On April 8, the student musicians, their parents and Mark will attend a “Cast and Crew” pre-release screening in Nashville with director Peter Chelsom attending.

The wide-screen release of Hannah Montana – The Movie takes place on Friday, April 10. More photos will be posted after the movie release, per the confidentiality agreement with Disney.