Central Students Sing Way Across Europe 

Central choir students, from left, Caroline Mark, Summer Lowe, chaperone Michael Lowe, Valentina Sanfilippo, Gavin George, and Hollie Weidner, pose in front of the Matterhorn in Switzerland.

The Ambassadors program is comprised of approximately 150 high school choir and band students from throughout Indiana. The students rehearsed for three days at Ball State University before setting off for their 16-day tour of Europe. The students learned 15 songs, which they sang in locations as varied as St. Severin near Notre Dame and a village square in Zermatt at the Matterhorn.   Of the seven countries they visited-England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Italy-Hollie chose Germany as her favorite. "It was the prettiest of the countries," she stated.   Gavin enjoyed Switzerland the most. "The view was by far the best," he said. "Getting to see the Alps was amazing. And the people were so nice there."   What surprised Hollie most about the trip was the small size of the countries, (they drove from Austria to Liechtenstein and back in less than a day) and how expensive everything was. She and two trip mates paid over $100 to ride a gondola in Venice. "You even have to pay to use the bathrooms in Europe," she added.

Gavin noted he was pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the German people. "The things we learn about Germany at school, like the Holocaust, and the movies we see depicting Germany make it seem, subconsciously at least, like a horrible place," Gavin explained. "In truth, the people there are really nice."  

Gavin had such a great experience with the Ambassadors, he'd like to make a return trip with the group in two years. "We learned a lot of history and it was fun getting to see places most people only get to read about or view on a screen," Gavin stated. "And we were able to do so much. If you tried to take this same trip on your own, you wouldn't be able to afford it. Going in a group made it relatively inexpensive." Naturally, the students returned home with mementos of their trip. Hollie is now sporting a pair of treble clef earrings she purchased at Swarovski's in Austria. Gavin brought home a Parisian music box.    But the pair agreed it's the memories, rather than the mementos, that are more important to them.  Memories like eating pasta and Italian ice in Italy; tasting Red Bull ice cream (which is not very creamy) in Germany; recreating the Beatles' famous Abbey Road picture in London, and attending a fondue party in Switzerland where you had to kiss all the members of the opposite sex if your bread dropped into the fondue pot. (Gavin swears it was an accident.)   Indiana Music Ambassadors is directed by Joseph Scagnoli, director emeritus of bands at Ball State University. Students are chosen from the group based on their superior musicianship, outstanding citizenship, and exceptional leadership qualities.   Central's Niederer, who has accompanied the Ambassadors to Europe three times, said in addition to the musical experience the students gain, they also develop an appreciation for how things are done in other parts of the world.

Hollie Weidner poses with the          German version of a Teddy Bear