Stan Freese
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| Stan Freese | |
|---|---|
| Born | Stanford Freese August 21, 1945 Edina, MN |
| Occupation | Musician, Actor, Band Leader, Talent Casting & Booking Director |
| Spouse(s) | Tera Freese |
Stanford Freese (Stan Freese) is a world-renowned tuba soloist and Talent Casting & Booking Director with Disney Entertainment Productions (The Walt Disney Company).
During his 36 year tenure with Disney, Stan has served as Director of Bands, both at Walt Disney World and Disneyland; Show Director, Tokyo Disneyland; Entertainment Producer, Pleasure Island, Walt Disney World; Musical Show Director, Tokyo Disney Sea and his present position as Talent Booking and Casting Director, Disneyland, Anaheim, California.
[edit] History
Stan attended Edina High School, graduating in 1962, and entered the University of Minnesota that same fall, majoring in Music Education. While at the University, he was the featured tuba soloist with the University of Minnesota Concert Band Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Frank Bencricutto. Stan was selected by the U.S. Cultural Exchange Department, Washington, D.C., as the tuba soloist, on the tour of the Soviet Union in 1969, as well as the China Tour in 1980 with the University of Minnesota Concert Band.
By 1970 Stan moved to Hollywood, California where he did television and movie soundtrack recordings, until he was contacted and hired by Disney to relocate to Orlando, Florida, to open Walt Disney World to serve as the first Disney World Director of Bands. Stan was re-assigned to the Disney home base in California in 1974 where he remains to the present time.
In 1997, Stan was inducted into the Minnesota Classic Conference Fine Arts Distinguished Service Award and in 1995 was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. In April 2007, he was inducted into the Edina Hall of Fame as well as being awarded the University of Minnesota Distinguished Graduate Award in May of 2007.
[edit] Family
Stan is married and has two sons, Josh 33 and Jason 32, both successful musicians, presently Josh Freese plays drums for Sting and Jason Freese plays keyboards with Green Day. Both sons work also in the L.A. studio recording scene creating records and contributing to movie soundtracks. Stan’s wife, Tera is in commercial land development in southern California. Stan’s father, Hal Freese, taught band in the Edina School system, and his mother taught voice and piano in the metropolitan area.
