A Big Gig in a Small World
Prodigies TeamI’ve played a lot of gigs in my life — from drumming for dance classes and musicals as a teenager, to touring with a folk jam band in my twenties, to the colorful chaos of kids’ shows as Mr. Rob in my thirties.
But this past Thursday might’ve been the biggest gig of them all.
It All Started with a Wish
Back in May, I got a call from Make-A-Wish Hawaii.
They said, “We’ve got a boy named Atticus. He’s a huge Prodigies fan. His wish is to meet Mr. Rob.”
I remember blinking and saying, “Wait… like THE Make-A-Wish?”
A few weeks later, I was in Waikiki, jamming bells and ukulele with Atticus — a bright, hilarious kid with perfect pitch and more musical joy in his heart than most adults carry in a lifetime.
We sang, laughed, played, and made some truly magical memories.
From Waikiki to Walt Disney World
Fast forward a few months: I get another call.
This time from Make-A-Wish National HQ.
They wanted Atticus and me to share our story — live — at their National Conference and Gala at Walt Disney World.
We said yes, of course… but even then, I didn’t realize what we were walking into.
Picture this:
A massive Disney ballroom filled with over 1,000 Make-A-Wish staff, volunteers, and Disney execs. Cameras, lights, the works.
And right there in the middle of it all… Atticus and me.
A Change of Plans (and a Perfect Song)
Originally, we planned to perform Für Elise on his bells — a song he’s absolutely nailed in the past.
But being at Disney World, surrounded by so much joy and magic, we decided last-minute to switch things up.
Instead, we went with the most joyful Disney song of all time: “It’s a Small World.”
It couldn’t have been more perfect.
When we hit those first notes, the crowd lit up.
People were smiling, crying, clapping along ... pure joy was radiating across the room.
The Moment That Stole the Show
To my great honor (and mild surprise), Atticus insisted that we close our one-song performance with not just one, but two Prodigies songs: the Cya Later Song and the Prodigies Theme.
Atticus learned the Prodigies program VERY thoroughly, so it makes total sense that of course, we'd end our song with a CYA LATER and the Prodigies Theme.
So there I was, standing on stage at Walt Disney World, singing our goodbye song to a ballroom full of Disney and Make-A-Wish leaders. Scooter Braun even told me afterward that our set made his girlfriend (Sydney Sweeney) cry tears of joy.
It was surreal. Beautiful. One of the proudest moments of my life.
A Full-Circle Moment
That night reminded me why I started making music for kids in the first place: to connect, to bring joy, and to help children everywhere find their musical spark.
Atticus gave me that gift right back.
Play Along with “It’s a Small World”
To celebrate this incredible moment, we’ve released a new YouTube video — an easy “It’s a Small World” Bell Play-Along so your kids (or students) can join in the fun.
It’s beginner-friendly, colorful, and guaranteed to make you smile.
👉 Watch and Play Along on YouTube
Because at the end of the day, it really is a small world after all, and moments like this prove how powerful music can be in connecting us all.
2 comments
Love this SO much! My life’s work has been bringing the joy of Music to students in public schools, 39 years so far! Music is also healing to our minds and bodies. Thank you so much for spreading the joy and solidifying the mission many of us have by sharing this story – Music IS joy! ❤️🎶🎉
Congratulations to Atticus and you! What an incredible story of the power of music and magic! Bravo!