Elon Music Ambassadors share inspiring program with Wilmington High Schools

During Thanksgiving break, the Elon Music Ambassadors (EMA) brought their talent, creativity and enthusiasm to Wilmington, North Carolina, presenting an inspiring musical program for area high school students. Under the direction of Virginia Novine Whittaker and Gretchen Bruesehoff, the instrumental and vocal ensemble served as outstanding representatives of Elon University and its commitment to impactful arts outreach.

The program, titled “Into the Blue and Beyond,” featured music inspired by the sky and outer space. Unique to this ensemble, all selections were chosen and arranged by the students, allowing them to highlight their artistic voices while creating arrangements tailored to the EMA’s distinctive instrumentation.

Performing members included Tess Trayner, Patrick Davison, Eliot Morris, Doug Baker, Hashini Amarasinghe, Jake Sherman, Micah Cabot, Mindy Monroe, Noah Raney, Xie Atkinson and Anthony Hotakainen. Maya Cohen supported the tour as the ensemble’s live sound technician, ensuring each performance delivered a polished and professional experience.

In addition to sharing their music, ensemble members participated in lively question-and-answer sessions following each performance. High school audiences asked about life at Elon, pathways in music, and what it means to pursue the arts in college—conversations that created meaningful connections and offered students valuable insight into collegiate music study.

The Thanksgiving break tour not only showcased the students’ musical excellence but also their dedication to community engagement and arts education. The Elon Music Ambassadors ensemble looks forward to continuing its mission of inspiring young musicians across the region.