American Music Abroad

​AMA: AMA, short for American Music Abroad, is an amazing program that allows a concert band and a concert choir to travel all over Europe. They have the opportunity to perform in many different venues for various audiences, which have very foreign lifestyles from our own. This year during the 2014 summer vacation, the ensembles visited five different countries- Italy, Austria, Germany, France, and Switzerland. Some of the cities included: Zurich, Lucerne, Venice, Florence, Milan, Salzburg, Dinkelsbuhl, and Dachau. Tracy Peng, one of two Cherokee students who participated in the tour this summer, stated that “This trip was the experience of a lifetime. It gave me the opportunity to perform in beautiful venues, and seeing the local people respond so positively to the music we made was amazing. This tour is really unique in the way that it is not only a cultural experience, but a musical one as well. One of my favorite cities was Salzburg in Austria, which also happens to be the setting of the Sound of Music as well as the birthplace of Mozart. During the three weeks of the tour, I made memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life”. The other student from Cherokee, Mariah Vargo, described “I feel that overall as a person it gave me a better perspective of the world and how people go about their daily lives. It opened my eyes to different cultures, architecture, and languages that were so beautiful. Yet what I will take away from the experience the most are the memories and friends that I have made, along with an impact it has made on my life”. Everyone that has gone on the trip has taken away something individually impactful and unique to himself/herself; anyone could benefit greatly from attending this incredible journey.

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