California
Ambassadors of Music
The Musical Journey of a Lifetime
The Ambassadors of Music tour offers talented high school student musicians an unparalleled opportunity to explore the best of Europe, including the birthplace of classical music itself.
This fifteen-day tour takes students and directors on an adventure through five countries, with once-in-a-lifetime cultural experiences throughout our journey and performances for enthusiastic local audiences in historic venues.
Trip Dates
6/30/28 – 7/15/28
Nominate a Student
Meeting Schedule
Educators:
Start here if you are a current music educator nominating one of your students.
Parents & Students:
Start here if your music director has asked you or your child to visit this site to fill out the nomination form.
Nomination: Educators
Nominate a Student
Nomination: Students
Self-Nomination
Note – Completing this form does not commit you to participating in the trip. It will allow you to receive further information and attend an informational meeting.
Meet Your State Coordinators
Angelina Gomez
Angelina Gomez is the Director of Bands at California State University, Chico. An active clinician and adjudicator, Angelina has conducted bands both at home and abroad, working with students from elementary school to the university level. She joined the Ambassador of Music program in 2025 as the state coordinator for Northern California.
She’s thrilled to bring the Ambassadors of Music program to student performers in Northern California and loves to watch these young travelers experience the best of Europe – new languages, new cultures, and new cuisines. As she works to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with students in her region, Angelina enjoys meeting new directors and their students, as well as the on-tour Ambassadors team that brings the experience to life each summer.
My Favorite Ambassadors Memory
The special dinners and dance parties are some of my most favorite memories from the trip. As soon as the live music started to play, some students rushed over to dance along. And then more students joined the dancing, and then more until everyone – including staff members – took part in the dancing and we all had a very fun time. These moments helped bring everyone closer together through music and dancing, laughter and joy.
My Favorite Travel Destination
Bodega Bay and Lake Tahoe are two of my favorite places to travel to within the state of California. I just love sitting by the water and watching the waves crash along the shore, especially at sunset when the waters reflect the pink and purple hues in the sky. Visiting these places also brings back wonderful memories of visiting these fun places with family and friends.
One Thing I Never Travel Without
I never travel without my phone or at least some sort of camera because I love taking lots of photos wherever I travel. I want to capture and remember all the beautiful sights and fun memories shared with great people along the way.
Eric Samson
Eric Samson is the director of instrumental music at El Dorado High School in Placentia, CA, and has traveled with his groups to perform in Hawaii, Nevada, Ohio and throughout California, and has had four appearances in the Tournament of Roses Parade. An educator in Southern California for more than 30 years, a freelance percussionist for even longer, and an avid traveler, Eric loves experiencing the world with his student performers.
Since 2010, Eric has been involved with the Ambassadors of Music program in Southern California, stepping into the role of State Coordinator in 2024. He recently led the Southern California Ambassadors through Europe for his sixth Ambassadors tour. Every summer, he looks forward to sharing the experience of being in Europe with staff and students who have never been there, especially to perform music.
Eric is grateful for the local audiences throughout the tour who celebrate the music his Ambassadors perform. He enjoys watching his students take ownership of their performances throughout the tour and the deep appreciation for their band, orchestra, or choir they bring home with them.
My Favorite Ambassadors Memory
My favorite AOM Memory was the entirety of the 2018 tour. By that time, I had been on the tour four times, three of those with my wife – each time we’d left our young children at home with family. Over the years, our kids loved hearing about our journey and eventually wanted to go on the tour. In 2018, they were 13 and 10 years old, and we were able to bring them with us.
It was a full circle moment for me, being able to bring my family along on a tour that was made possible by my involvement with music education. To this day, as 21 and 18 year olds, my kids still talk about the tour and have a desire to continue to travel. Knowing how much this tour has changed my own children’s lives is motivation to keep offering this opportunity to my students and students from around Southern California.
My Favorite Travel Destination
My favorite personal travel destination is Hawaii. I love the tropical island vibe of Oahu and Maui, especially if you get out of the busier areas where most of the tourists go. I am always treated like a local and feel at home. I also enjoy finding local spots to eat, to have coffee, or to simply relax as if I live there. I have been there many times and can’t wait to go back!.
One Thing I Never Travel Without
I never travel without my Bose noise-cancelling headphones! They are great to use on flights to watch movies, listen to music, or simply block out sound in general so I can get some sleep. Sometimes the bus is the only time you get to rest on our AOM tours while traveling from country to country, so having my headphones gives me a little privacy and a chance to recharge for the next adventure.
To learn more about Ambassadors of Music:
Fill out the form below and a member of our team will get in touch!
Please Note: Questions regarding dates, pricing, and trip inclusions cannot be answered through this form. Please complete the nomination form at the link on the flyer you received and you will be sent more information regarding the program.