Kimberly Marinich (Senior) Trumpet: Uniontown, PA
“It wasn't just the applause of the audience or the encores that made the concert enjoyable to both the band and audience. There was energy and an element of pure fun that radiated between the two. That is what makes each individual performance memorable!!”

Michael Lambert (Freshman) Trombone: Scituate, RI
“I haven't signed so many autographs since we toured Paw-Paw, WV.”

Adam Loudin (Freshman) Trumpet: Buckhannon, WV
“Playing for crowds of people who truly appreciated the music was both an honor and a pleasure.”

Jill Horton (2004 Graduate) Trumpet: Culloden, WV
“This is my second Jazz Ensemble Europe Tour in front of audiences in six countries. These two tours were the most fascinating and enjoyable events of my four years at Wesleyan. Not only were we allowed to perform in front of a variety of audiences and musicians, but we were also introduced to their cultures as we interacted and get to know them as individuals. Because of these two Europe experiences, I can walk away from Wesleyan with lifelong friends and amazing memories.”

Sean Coughlin (Sophomore) Guitar: Yorktown, NY
“Having an extremely appreciative audience allowed us to reach a higher level of musicianship from everyone in the band. The quality of our playing was much greater than anything this band was capable of in the states.”

Christopher Way (Sophomore) Saxophone: Lumberport, WV
“It has been said that music is a window to the soul…The language of music transcends the barriers of the spoken word in such a way that a man from a small town in the United States can become a local in the largest city of Romania. Such a connection is rare, and such an opportunity even rarer. The music is life, pure, simple and complex at the same time. The music binds us.”

Steve McGrew (Senior) Trombone: Bridgeport, WV
“Days have turned weeks and the time has truly flown by. From here we travel to Bulgaria's capital Sofia where we will perform our last shows and complete the remainder of our time here. It will be Sunday evening when our bus re-enters the Buckhannon city limits. We left Buckhannon citizens of the United States and will truly return as citizens of the world. It is difficult to say how many of our students will ever return to those wonderful places, but the memories that we have taken from the Czech Republic, Romania, & Bulgaria will last a lifetime for all of us.”

Travis Stimeling ‘01 (Alumnus) Trombone: Chapel Hill, NC
“This is my second trip to Europe with the band, and I can honestly say that this experience has been one of the greatest opportunities for cultural exchange I have ever had. We have heard folk music performed by some of the greatest musicians in Romania and Bulgaria, and they have heard us perform one of America's greatest cultural treasures. Even though we speak different languages, the common language of music has brought our worlds much closer together.”

Lauren Pectyo (Senior) Tenor Sax: Manassas, VA
“This was my first time out of the U.S. and it was truly amazing. Not only being able to play in Europe, but also being able to see all the sights was an experience I'll never forget. Words cannot express the beauty I have seen in Eastern Europe.”

David and Jenee Wright (WVWC Faculty):
“We have traveled to many different places around the world, but few places have impacted us as much as this trip. That is to say, seeing where Mozart's ‘Don Giovanni’ was premiered as well as places where both, Mozart and Smetana spent time of their lives in Prague. Furthermore, the hospitality that we have experienced in Romania and Bulgaria has been fantastic. Discovering simple pleasures as these has made this trip worth it.”

The thoughts of some of our students say the seemingly unexplainable. We have been tourists and performers. We have taken pictures by the hundreds, but have had the opportunity to give something back -- our music. On this, my last such venture, I could not be more proud of our Wesleyan Troubadours.

Sincerely,

David Milburn