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Special to the Enterprise

On, Monday, more than 200 outstanding student musicians gathered at the University of Louisville for five days of rehearsal and performances prior to departing to seven European countries for a 16-day tour.

Bethany James, Lexie Magnani, Chelsea Clem, Mary Beth Christman, Stephen Jones, Anna Whitaker, Anna Jo Creech, Taylor Ragg, Stephanie Cole (not pictured) and Megan Ball Watson (not pictured), of Harlan, have been selected for this honor.

Students were nominated for the 2012 Kentucky Ambassadors of Music tour based on their musicianship, leadership and character, and were selected for participation by invitation.

Dr. Fredrick Speck, Director of Bands at the University of Louisville, and Dr. Kent Hatteberg, Director of Choral Activities at the University of Louisville, will serve as Music Directors for the tour. Speck will conduct the Honor Bands and Honor Chamber Orchestra and Hatteberg will conduct the Honor Choir. The tour is designed by Voyageurs Ambassadors of Music, a Denver-based agency specializing in European music tours for numerous statewide Ambassadors tours for more than forty years.

Prior to their departure for Europe on June 30, student participants will gather for an intensive, five-day rehearsal and orientation camp at the University of Louisville. On Friday, there will be two pre-tour concerts held at Comstock Concert Hall at the School of Music on the campus of the University of Louisville. The Concert Bands will perform at 5:15 p.m. and the Chamber Orchestra and Choir will perform at 7:15 p.m. Both concerts will be open to the public with no admission charge.

The Kentucky Ambassadors of Music honor bands, chamber orchestra and choir will share their music with European audiences in seven different countries and in a variety of performance settings. The tour will include stops in England, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy and Germany. The Kentucky Ambassadors of Music tour is an educational program designed as an opportunity for musical honor students to perform and share their musical talents, while gaining cultural enrichment abroad.

The Harlan County students would like to thank all businesses, individuals, and The Harlan Rotary Club who contributed toward fundraising efforts for this trip.