Arizona Musicians Abroad | Trip Dashboard

Welcome to Arizona Musicians Abroad 2027

Find the latest information on our Arizona trip below.

This international tour will be with a group from the great state of Arizona. Best known for the Grand Canyon, Arizona is the 14th most populous state. With much of the terrain desert, the state bird is the cactus wren and flower the saguaro cactus blossom. Famous for fry bread, chimichangas and Sonoran hot dogs, you’ll find plenty of good eats in the Grand Canyon State.

Interested in being part of this tour?

The Nominate a Student button allows teachers to submit single nominations. It is also perfect for students or parents to self-nominate.

Nominate a Student

Selection criteria are focused on both the student's musical excellence as well as their character and maturity. We encourage music educators to nominate multiple students at once. It is common for directors to submit the entirety of their top ensembles, including those students who are seniors graduating this spring as they are still eligible to participate after completing their freshman year of college.

The Nominate Multiple Students button provides an Excel sheet download. Complete the required data for as many of your top students as you like. Complete the short form and attach the Excel file and click submit to complete.

Nominate Multiple Students

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Address: 5348 W. Vermont Street, Suite 200 Indianapolis, IN, 46224
Phone: 800.616.1112
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Meet Your State Organizers

Learn about your state's organizers and their roles in your upcoming trip.

Martin Hebda Co-Coordinator

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About Martin Hebda

Martin Hebda’s passion for music began while growing up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started his musical journey at the piano before discovering the trumpet and quickly became deeply involved in both school and community music programs. During his high school years, Martin marched with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in 1992 and 1993.

After graduating, Martin pursued a degree in music education at the University of Arizona where he was an active member of numerous ensembles including small brass groups, vocal ensembles, jazz ensemble and wind ensemble. He also participated in marching band and pep band, further shaping his well-rounded musical background.

Martin has dedicated 28 years to teaching music and is currently in his 25th year as band director at Casa Grande Union HS. Under his leadership, the band program has grown significantly in both size and quality. A strong advocate for professional involvement, Martin has been deeply engaged with music education organizations throughout Arizona. He served eight years on the WGAZ Board as AIA Liaison, Show Host Coordinator and Vice President. Additionally, he served as the Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA) Southeast Regional Governor for six years and as AMEA Member at Large for four years. His service also included roles as an ABODA New Teacher Mentor and Vice President of the AZMBA.

In recognition of his dedication and leadership, Martin received the AMEA George C. Wilson Leadership/Service Award and was inducted into the WGAZ Hall of Fame in the spring of 2014.

Beyond music, Martin places the highest value on family. His wife, Mercedes, taught color guard for his marching bands until the birth of their third child in 2011 and returned to teaching color guard in 2025. Her understanding of the demanding schedule of a band director has been a constant source of support throughout Martin’s career. Maintaining a healthy balance between family life and professional responsibilities remains a top priority for him.

Martin has traveled to Europe with performing ensembles seven times between 2007 and 2019 and returned as the Musicians Abroad Arizona State Coordinator in the summer of 2025. He firmly believes in the educational and artistic value of these experiences and is committed to providing students with exceptional performance and travel opportunities.

Jeff Marchant Co-Coordinator

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About Jeff Marchant

Jeff Marchant fell in love with band at Buena HS (AZ) in Sierra Vista under the direction of Rick Klein. He attended the University of Arizona with a trombone and jazz scholarship. While a member of UA's Olive Street Stompers, the group was a finalist in the National Association of Jazz Educators Collegiate Dixieland Competition. Jeff earned his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Arizona studying trombone with Tom Ervin. While there, he was fortunate enough to perform with such musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Watrous, Bobby Shew and Ladd McIntosh. After college he performed and recorded with the Itsy Bitsy Spiders, Calexico, Descarga, blues legend Sam Taylor and the In Your Face Horns and the Crawdaddy-O Brass band.

Mr. Marchant marched with the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps and was a staff member and director for the Sunset Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in Tucson. He taught band and orchestra at Sabino HS in the Tucson Unified School District before accepting his current position as the Director of Bands at Rincon/University HS. Since moving in 2010, the program has grown steadily and won numerous awards for marching band, winning four Nunamaker awards in a five-year span at the University of Arizona Band Day. The program has also won high honors in concert band, jazz and winter drum line and color guards.

The Rincon/University HS Band was the inaugural champion of the Arizona Marching Band Association in 2015. The RUHS Jazz Ensemble has performed twice at the Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA) conference and in Chicago at The Midwest Clinic in 2018. Marchant was awarded the O.M. Hartsell Excellence in Teaching Music Award in 2017 and is a frequent presenter at the AMEA conference. Mr. Marchant currently resides in Tucson with his wife and educator Donna, his youngest son Jack and his dog Maggie Fitzgerald.

Amanda Mitchell Choral Director

View Amanda Mitchell 's Bio

About Amanda Mitchell

Amanda Mitchell has been teaching music in the state of Arizona since 2006 and has been the Choral Director at Glendale HS since 2007. Under her leadership, the program has tripled in size with a focus on excellence, musicianship and camaraderie. Her students perform at state-wide and district choral festivals, professional sporting events and prepare a wide variety of music to present at each of their quarterly concerts.

Mrs. Mitchell has mentored numerous interns and student teachers from multiple colleges and universities and currently serves as GHS Fine Arts Department Chair. At the state level, Mrs. Mitchell held the office of Vice-President for Professional Development for the Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA) and Conference Chair for the Arizona Choral Educators board from 2011 to 2017. In 2014, she was awarded the AMEA George C. Wilson Leadership/Service award. She was a staff member with the Arizona Ambassadors of Music from 2009-2019 and is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the AMEA, Arizona Choral Educators, Arizona Choral Directors of Arizona and the Glendale Union Education Association.

Mrs. Mitchell holds a bachelor's degree in Choral Music Education from Arizona State University and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Music Education from Kent State University.

Kirk Douglas Choral Conductor

View Kirk Douglas's Bio

About Kirk Douglas

Mr. Kirk Douglas is a passionate conductor and educator who has directed the choirs at Boulder Creek HS for 17 years. Mr. Douglas works with two award-winning show choirs, two top-notch concert choirs and an introductory choir. He earned his education degree at Ottawa University and his performance degree at California State University, Northridge. Along with singing in numerous ensembles, he has worked as a professional soloist and actor in North America and Europe.

Douglas was selected to receive the OM Hartsell “Excellence in Teaching Music” award through the Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA) and was recognized as the 2017 Deer Valley Teacher of the Year.

Under his direction, Boulder Creek’s Broadway Bound performed at the AMEA convention in 2017 and the Boulder Creek Honor Choir was selected to sing by the Arizona Choral Educators in 2019.

In 2012, Mr. Douglas worked in Italy, singing opera and serving as the assistant to the music director at the Lorenzo Malfatti Academia Vocale di Lucca. His experience also includes conducting the DVUSD elementary honor choir and the district honor men’s chorus. He has also directed the Dysart Unified School District’s Honor Show Choir and the Phoenix Sings Honor Choir. Most recently, he conducted the 2024 Arizona All-State Middle School Honor Choir and joined the artistic staff at Phoenix Boys Choir as the Town Choir Director. Mr. Douglas has also served on the Arizona Choral Educators Board and has conducted and sang an aria at Carnegie Hall in 2017.

Mr. Douglas is excited to serve as co–choir director for Musicians Abroad in Europe. Having previously toured Europe as a student performer, he has continued traveling as a staff member since 2015. He looks forward to his fifth trip and is eager to travel with this new group of young musicians.

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Arizona • June 15-28, 2027

Welcome to Arizona Musicians Abroad 2027

Interested in being part of this tour?

Resources and News (Coming Soon)

Current itinerary (Click Here to Expand)

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