Click on the above image for more photos of the Music Ambassadors.

September 3, 2024 — Ten Mound Westonka High School musicians experienced the musical journey of a lifetime this summer, when they participated in the Minnesota Ambassadors of Music tour. The 15-day tour provided students with an unparalleled opportunity to explore the best of Europe, including stops in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.

Seniors Trevor Andrews, Phaedra Bain, Olivia Bode, Jessica Hoernemann, Calvin Pouchnik, and Sullivan Rothenberger, as well as 2024 graduates Joseph Wolf and Andrew Wood were selected for the band. Mason Butzow and Jack Hanson, both 2024 graduates, were chosen for the choir. All students were nominated by MWHS band director Gretchen Chilson and MWHS choir director Kelly Newell.

Prior to the trip, the students attended a three-day camp in St. Cloud with other musicians from around the state, where they mastered their pieces. Four Westonka musicians, Andrews, O’Connor, Wolf, and Hanson were chosen to perform solos with their respective groups.

The student performers stepped onto some of the world’s grandest stages, in ancient churches, pristine parks and beautiful town squares during the trip. In the smaller towns on the tour, the performances become heartwarming events, with locals and their families attending and welcoming the groups into their communities.

According to the Ambassadors of Music website, exploring these new locales as part of a group of musicians invites students into a unique exchange – they bring music to share with new faces and leave filled with broadened horizons and appreciation for new cultures. Their growth as performers is always remarkable, as they learn from new directors on new stages, in performances with musical peers who often become lifelong friends.