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2025 / The purpose of this Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study was to explore the lived experience of five Black Rock Philharmonic orchestra members during the creation of collective effervescence in a group of more than 3,000 people at their 2019 performance of Bohemian Rhapsody at the Folly art installation at Burning Man. According to Collins (2004), collective effervescence can result from a mutual focus of attention and a shared mood, with feedback intensification through rhythmic entrainment building the shared mood. If collective effervescence is achieved, the group experiences solidarity, the individuals experience emotional energy, and social relationship symbols are created. Those outcomes can enhance subsequent interaction rituals, creating interaction ritual chains.I conducted three interviews with each of the five participants, using three focus areas: the 2019 Folly performance of Bohemian Rhapsody, the 2020 virtual encore performance, and the culture of Burning Man along with the persistence of the performances’ effects over the next three years. From the general narratives of each set of interviews, eight themes emerged. I used the data from the eight themes to create a general description of the phenomenon of creating collective effervescence through musicking at Burning Man, using the structures of ritual theory (V. Turner, 1969/2007) and interaction ritual chains (Collins, 2014). The emotional energy from the Folly performance carried over to the Temple performance the next day, the virtual encore performance of Bohemian Rhapsody during the pandemic, and live performances of Bohemian Rhapsody at Burning Man 2022 and 2023, as part of a multi-year interaction ritual chain. The interaction ritual chains experienced by the study participants were influenced by Burning Man’s 10 Principles which St John (2020) called the DNA of the Burning Man culture. Examining the five participants’ lived experiences for aspects of Burning Man’s culture that could be extended to community college music education and community ensembles, I identified five potential subject areas: hospitality, group solidarity and communitas, symbols of social relationship, playfulness, and planned and spontaneous moments. For each subject area, I provided examples of techniques music education ensemble directors could use to bring elements of Burning Man culture, along with playa magic, into their programs.