From November 19th to November 23rd, Southwest students took their talents to Nashville, Tennessee for the annual instrumental music tour. Every year, the Southwest students from Chamber Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Guitar Orchestra go on tour to a unique location in order to practice performing their concert repertoire in unfamiliar places, explore a new city, watch various performances from professional musicians, and create connections with their fellow instrumental music students. Not only is it a great deal of fun for the students, but it is also an incredibly valuable and enriching experience.
“Performance tours help us get our music feeling like it’s comfortable, and they get [the students] feeling really comfortable with each other. They build community, and we get really inspired by amazing performances,” shared Reid Wixson, who teaches Chamber Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, on why the tours are so important.
This year’s chosen location of “Music City”, USA was more than fitting for the instrumental music students to take inspiration from professionals, learn about music history, and immerse themselves in the deeply ingrained culture of music in Nashville. Seeing a
performance at the famed Grand Ole Opry country music venue (with a surprise appearance by Gwenyth Paltrow), touring the campus of Vanderbilt University while receiving lessons from professors there, visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, exploring the interactive exhibits at the National Museum of African American Music, walking around Downtown Nashville, and performing at senior centers throughout the city are only some of the vast activities that were on the trip’s itinerary.
A highlight of the tour for many was seeing the incredible performance by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, with acclaimed trumpeter Pacho Flores, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The performance was conducted by six-time Grammy award-winning conductor Giancarlo Guerrero, who was returning to the Nashville Symphony for the first time since he stepped down in 2025 after sixteen years as Music Director there. The performance was edge-of-your-seat suspenseful and an exceptional display of the musicians’ skills. Guerrero’s conducting was passionate and animated, breathing life and vigor into the already awe-inspiring performance. Pacho Flores’ mastery shone bright in two of the evening’s four pieces, Morocata—a piece he wrote himself—and Concierto de Otoño for trumpet and orchestra by Alberto Ginastera. Ein Heldenleben (“A Hero’s Life”) by Richard Strauss concluded the captivating performance.
The students who participated in the tour look back on it with glowing reviews and enthusiasm. “It was such a joy and I’m so glad that I went,” said Alessandra Horton (‘27), a member of Chamber Orchestra. From Wind Ensemble, Dimarco Teran Toledo (‘28) said, “I think it was a very worthwhile experience and I’m looking forward to doing it again next year.” Many students look forward to the tour every year with much anticipation, so there’s no doubt that everyone highly appreciates everything that it has to offer and regards the memories they make on tour fondly.
One of the most important aspects of tour, regardless of the location, is the amazing bonds that are formed between the students. With 85 students and a handful of days packed with exciting activities, friendships are bound to be strengthened as well as new ones created. “The tour always ends up bonding our class together and makes the orchestra flow smoother because we’re all more in tune with each other on a personal level,” said Estelle Burg (‘28), who is in the Guitar Orchestra. In order to play well with so many other students in a group, it is important to create a tight-knit community in which everyone encourages each other to grow and improve and is able to celebrate accomplishments together. The instrumental music tours are the perfect way to create this community, and it is beautiful to see everyone come home as better friends than they were when they left.
