You have been nominated for our

2027 European Performance Tour

Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France

United Kingdom (Optional Extension)

Memories from a trip with Musicians Abroad

You can be an international performer!

We are pleased to inform you that you have been nominated to perform in the KENTUCKY MUSICIANS ABROAD concert tour of Europe during the summer of 2027. This outstanding group of musicians comprising a concert band, and chorus will take part in a 18 day, five-country European tour during the summer of 2027. Enclosed you will find an extensive brochure regarding this unique musical adventure.

Our KENTUCKY MUSICIANS ABROAD ensembles are made up of honor band, and choir students chosen through director and private teacher nominations. KENTUCKY MUSICIANS ABROAD is once again teaming up with highly regarded Music Travel Consultants of Indianapolis to create an outstanding performance tour of Europe. In 2025, we had over 300 terrific student musicians and family members participate! Our 2025 Kentucky Musicians Abroad groups were honored with an official acclamation by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky for, “their work and commitment to this highly regarded musical program.”

NEW for 2027, we are dividing the trip into two. One for the band going from east to west and one for the choir going the opposite direction with both groups meeting in the middle for a shared concert in Germany. We have presented many other excellent European musical experiences to thousands of student musicians over the past 30 years.

The 2027 tour will offer you the experience of a lifetime performing concerts and sightseeing in Europe. We are very proud of our fine musical staff and together, we intend to make your experiences memorable and exciting as the KENTUCKY MUSICIANS ABROAD represent our entire state through the universal language of music.

In our MUSICIANS ABROAD brochure, you will find a schedule of dates, times and locations of meetings that will be held throughout the state where we will thoroughly discuss the program. You and your parents should attend one of these meetings to better understand what the tour package includes. The cost of the tour, payment schedules, important dates and how to get trip protection insurance will be some of the topics covered.

The meetings will also include a presentation about the experiences you can expect during the European tour and the Pre-Tour Rehearsal Camp. Specifics regarding travel, accommodations, meals and venues in Europe will be discussed. If you have questions, other than the cost of the trip prior to attending a meeting, please contact the team via email at support@musiciansabroad.com.

Participation in this tour is by nomination only. We received nominations from directors and private teachers throughout the state Kentucky and southern counties of Indiana Schools. As a result, you have been personally selected for this invitation. We commend you for your hard work and achievements in your school music program.

Congratulations on your selection! We look forward to seeing you and your parents at one of the meetings in your area.

Sincerely,

Dr. Frederick Speck
Director of Bands
University of Louisville
Band Coordinator

and

Dr. Kent Hatteberg
Director of Choral Activities
University of Louisville
Choral Coordinator

Learn More Download Band Postcard Download Choir Postcard

Our Office

Address: 5348 W. Vermont Street, Suite 200 Indianapolis, IN, 46224
Phone: 800.616.1112
Local: 317.637.0837
Contact

Meet Your State Coordinators

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

Dr. Frederick Speck Band Coordinator

View Dr. Frederick Speck's Bio

About Dr. Frederick Speck

Frederick Speck, Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of Louisville, directs the Wind Symphony and New Music Ensemble, teaches graduate conducting and serves as Chair for the Department of Performance Studies. In addition, he is the artistic director and conductor of Chamber Winds Louisville and the Louisville Concert Band. Under his leadership, ensembles have performed at Kentucky Music Education Association (KMEA) Conferences, College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Southern Division Conferences, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) National Conference and the CBDNA National Conference, the Midwest Clinic, the American Bandmasters Convention, the Jungfrau Music Festival in Interlaken, Switzerland and World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles Conferences in Killarney, Ireland, San Jose, California and Prague, Czech Republic. He is also co-director of the Kentucky Musicians Abroad, a biennial program designed to prepare talented young musicians to perform throughout Europe.

As a composer, his works for band, orchestra and chamber ensembles have been performed throughout the United States and abroad. The New York Times cited his work Philomel’s Refrain, as, “vivid, driven music.” Speck’s compositions have been performed by such ensembles as the Louisville Orchestra, the Denver Symphony, the Senzoku Gakuen Wind Ensemble, Mushashino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble, Speculum Musicae and recorded by such artists as Richard Stoltzman, Paul York, Brett Shuster, Michael Tunnell and the Washington Winds. Twice the recipient of the University of Louisville President’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creativity, his work has also been recognized through fellowships and commissions from the Barlow Endowment, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts and the Indiana Arts Commission.

He is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association and Past President of the College Band Directors National Association Southern Division. Speck earned the BM and MM from Bowling Green State University and the DMA from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Kent E. Hatteberg Choir Coordinator

View Dr. Kent E. Hatteberg's Bio

About Dr. Kent E. Hatteberg

Dr. Kent Hatteberg is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Louisville where he directs the Collegiate Chorale and Cardinal Singers and teaches courses in conducting, choral literature and choral techniques. He is founder and artistic director of the semi-professional Louisville Chamber Choir. He earned the bachelor’s degree in piano and voice summa cum laude from the University of Dubuque and master’s and doctoral degrees in choral conducting from the University of Iowa, where he studied with Don V Moses and directed the renowned Old Gold Singers. Named a Fulbright Scholar in 1990, Dr. Hatteberg pursued research on the early works of Felix Mendelssohn in Berlin. He conducted the world premiere of Mendelssohn’s Gloria in 1997. He has previously taught at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX, Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, IA, and Solon Jr.-Sr. High in Solon, IA.

Dr. Hatteberg made his international professional conducting debut in 1993 with the Nederlands Kamerkoor in Amsterdam. He was named a University of Louisville Faculty Scholar in 2002, KMEA College/University Teacher of the Year in 2004 and was selected for the International Who’s Who in Choral Music in 2007. He received the 2008 KCDA Robert A. Baar Award for choral excellence, the 2008 University of Dubuque Career Achievement Award and the University of Louisville Distinguished Faculty Award for Creative and Performing Arts in 2010 and 2015. He has recently served as a clinician or adjudicator in Thailand, China, Korea, the Philippines, Hungary, Austria, Spain, Poland and the U.S. As chorus master for the Louisville Orchestra, he conducts annual performances of Handel’s Messiah with the Louisville Chamber Choir and regularly prepares massed choirs for performances of major works with the orchestra.

Under his direction, the University of Louisville Cardinal Singers have recently performed at festivals and competitions in South Africa, Germany, Thailand, Croatia, Spain, Korea, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and Cuba. The Collegiate Chorale, Cardinal Singers and Louisville Chamber Choir have performed at numerous regional and national American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) conventions.

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Kentucky • June 23 - July 11, 2027

You have been nominated for our

2027 European Performance Tour

Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France

United Kingdom (Optional Extension)

You can be an international performer!