South Dakota

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

6/21/27 – 7/6/27

Nominate a Student

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Educators:

Nominate a Student

Start here if you are a current music educator nominating one of your students.

Parents & Students:

Self-Nomination

Start here if your music director has asked you or your child to visit this site to fill out the nomination form.

Back to Selection

Nomination: Educators

Nominate a Student

Region Code

Provided by your Ambassadors of Music representative.

Student Name(Required)

First Last

Nominating Director Name(Required)

First Last

Full School Name(Required)

Ensemble(Required)

Ensemble 2

(if applicable)

Ensemble (IA)(Required)

Ensemble 2 (IA)

(if applicable)

Instrument/Voice(Required)

H.S. Graduation Year(Required)

Student Home Address(Required)

Street Address City State Zip Code

Parent Email(Required)

Note: Each student must be associated with a unique parent email address, that is not the same as a sibling or classmate. Also, please do not use a student email as it may result in a rejected nomination.

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.

Region Code

Your Region Code will be auto-filled by your QR code. If you don't have a QR code, please ask your Director for your unique Region Code before proceeding.

Student Name(Required)

First Last

Your Director's Name(Required)

First Last

Full School Name(Required)

Ensemble(Required)

Ensemble 2

(if applicable)

Ensemble (IA)(Required)

Ensemble 2 (IA)

(if applicable)

Instrument/Voice(Required)

H.S. Graduation Year(Required)

Student Home Address(Required)

Street Address City State Zip

Student Mobile(Required)

Parent Email(Required)

Note: Each student must be associated with a unique parent email address, that is not the same as a sibling or classmate. Also, please do not use a student email as it may result in a rejected nomination.

Meet Your State Coordinator

Jerry Letcher

AOM-Coordinator-SD – Ambassadors of Music

A music educator, director, and conductor, Jerry Letcher has been inspiring high school and university students in South Dakota for over thirty years.

He credits his mother with his love of travel, as she encouraged him to dream beyond the small dairy farm he grew up on. Jerry jumped at the opportunity to join the Ambassadors of Music program when asked by his college band director over 25 years ago. Since then, he has traveled extensively with his student performers, both domestically and internationally.

Jerry has served as South Dakota’s state coordinator since 2016 and every year, he’s amazed at the way students from across the state connect and form lasting friendships. He beams with pride as his Ambassadors perform for their parents, grandparents, and friends before leaving for the tour and never tires of watching these student performers experience Europe for the first time.

My Favorite Ambassadors Memory

My favorite AOM memory is about a young man who I knew could not afford to be a member of the Ambassadors of Music. You could tell he had a tough life, but he fit all the qualities we look for in a student and he was a very good alto saxophonist. I figured if I nominated him, he would at least get the honor of being nominated and get a nice certificate with the nomination letter.

The day after he was nominated, he came to my office at school carrying the nomination packet. I could tell he was choked up. He told me going to Europe was his life goal. He thanked me for the nomination and said he planned to do everything he could to join the tour.

He took on three part-time jobs and asked his relatives to give him cash for birthdays and Christmas so he could make payments for the tour. Somehow, he made all the payments. He was so grateful to be able to do the tour. He loved it.

A few years later I ran into him and he told me he was working for a scoreboard manufacturing company. His boss had come into the assembly room and asked, “Does anyone have a passport?” My former student said he sheepishly raised his hand and his boss told him to pack a bag – he was on his way to Paris the next morning! He has been an international representative for the company ever since. He thanked me again for the nomination and said it was our tour that taught him how to travel internationally.

My Favorite Travel Destination

My wife, Peggy, and I drove to the National Parks of Utah from South Dakota. Wow! Such great sights and views. We loved the beauty of these parks.

One Thing I Never Travel Without

I always travel with my cell phone for communication and lots of photos. I also always travel with a change of clothes. You never know when a change of itinerary can happen.