Local Students Attend Trip to Europe

Kiley Oldehoeft and Liberty Johnson in front
of the Matterhorn in Switzerland.

Breathtaking. Historical. Unique. These are words that describe the bi-annual Nebraska Ambassador of Music Trip. Two Exeter-Milligan students, Liberty Johnson and Kiley Oldehoeft, embarked on a journey to Europe in June. This trip allows musicians from across the state of Nebraska to visit five countries: Austria, England, France, Germany, and Switzerland. Before taking the flight overseas, students participated in a camp to rehearse music with over 245 other individuals. Some of the more notable instrumental pieces included “New York, New York” which was made famous by Frank Sinatra, “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller, and “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Phillip Sousa. 

“I wanted to attend the Nebraska Ambassador of Music trip because it involved my passion in music and it has given me the opportunity to see a lot of places I’ve dreamed of seeing,” stated Liberty Johnson, a recent 2025 graduate. Liberty Johnson was a second chair clarinet and remarked her favorite performing experience was in Rothenburg, Germany where they were in the town center and approximately 1,000 people came to watch their performance in every direction. Kiley Oldehoeft, an upcoming senior at EMF, stated her reasoning for attending the trip was largely influenced by her older brother, Clint. “Ever since he attended this trip I thought it would be cool to play my instrument in other countries and share our stories over there.” Kiley, a 2nd chair trumpet, enjoyed performing in Switzerland, “Their atmosphere was amazing. People cheered so loud after each song and were very excited for us to be there.”

An average day on this trip included waking up around 7:00am, eating breakfast, then heading out on their first excursion. These experiences include seeing Mozart’s birthplace in Austria; Big Ben and the Tower Bridge in London, England; the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Notre Dame in France; Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site in Germany; and the Alps and Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Just after lunch, musicians would perform for an audience, then they ate dinner and started the day over again. 

One of the most recent newsworthy experiences in England was seeing Trooping the Colour in London. Musicians were able to see King Charles III, Prince William and Princess Kate, and their children. “We weren’t sure if we were going to see the King and Queen,” mentioned Kiley, “it was really cool seeing the guards play their instruments while on their horses.” 

Experiencing the culture, food, and architecture of each country was what made this trip unique. Liberty and Kiley both agreed that being part of a music program influenced this trip greatly. “Band is another form of art that I was able to continue doing and learning more of. It’s fun seeing people enjoy what you get to create and perform for others,” expressed Liberty. Kiley added, “I really enjoy participating in band because it’s something that is different. You get to share a story through something aside from using your words.” Both students would wholeheartedly recommend this trip to future students and are grateful for the support they received from surrounding communities.