Five European nations. Dozens of new friends. Countless memories. One unforgettable adventure.
That’s what awaits student musicians on the Ambassadors of Music tour!
What is Ambassadors of Music?
The Ambassadors of Music (AOM) program offers students an unparalleled opportunity to perform for appreciative audiences across Europe. As they share the gift of music, they bond with their fellow student performers, experience new cultures, and walk through history itself.
AOM is presented by Bob Rogers Travel, which brings 45 years of student performance expertise to every tour.
“We’re honored to give students the opportunity to explore a part of the world that holds so much meaning to musicians everywhere,” says Mike Wallace, BRT’s international travel consultant who leads AOM. “Nearly 10,000 students from across the country have already joined BRT’s Ambassadors of Music program, and we’re thrilled to guide them on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
What makes AOM different?
Unlike a standard school trip, students must be nominated to participate in AOM, usually by the directors that work with them in the classroom every day.
“When directors nominate students, that means they are both good students musically, but also good people,” shares Breysi Garcia, a conductor with the Southern California Ambassadors of Music.
Accepted students join their fellow ambassadors at a state-wide pre-trip camp. Then, it’s off to Europe for 15 days, where students experience the unmatched pulse of London and Paris, and quaint villages in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Along the way, they perform in historic venues, sample local cuisines and snap enviable selfies. (Matterhorn, anyone?)
The AOM trip experience includes round-trip airfare, meals, transportation and accommodations within Europe, all attraction fees and gratuities, and a dedicated group tour manager.
“My daughter was able to experience culture in a different way than she could read about in the classroom,” shares Jessica Meadows, parent of a past AOM participant. “They’re sent as ambassadors, and the kids had this sense of pride when they performed. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you can’t get any other way.”
What’s the impact of AOM?
“This trip changes kids’ lives,” emphasizes Chris Janowiak, State Coordinator for the Michigan Ambassadors of Music. “We spend so many of our years learning about all these different places, and then we get here and history comes alive.”
As students step onto picturesque stages – from world-renowned venues to lovely town squares – the music education they’ve received in the classroom comes to life in new, powerful ways. They not only grow as performers, but as confident young adults, maturing as travelers as they encounter new languages, foods, currency and cultures.
Students return home with lifelong friends, unique memories and a newfound confidence. It’s a life-changing experience that will be a part of them forever.
“The Ambassadors of Music program is an opportunity to express yourself through music, develop relationships, and grow as a musician and as a human,” adds Garcia. “To take something you love to do at home, and share it with an audience abroad, is really priceless.”
To find out more about the Ambassadors of Music program, visit AmbassadorsOfMusic.com.
Written by Todd Rogers, Co-CEO, Bob Rogers Travel
Todd Rogers is the Co-CEO of Bob Rogers Travel, a specialist in student group performance travel. Since 1981, BRT has taken over 750,000 students on over 10,000 trips, to all 50 states and over 30 countries.
Photos courtesy of Bob Rogers Travel.
