Trip to Spain with the WWU Symphony Orchestra!

My name is Cameron Nielson. I play trumpet and compose, for those who may not know me personally. I am entering my third year as a music education and music composition double major at Western Washington University, and I hope to end up at the high school level teaching band. In addition, I enjoy photography, reading, and film when I'm not doing something related to music (an increasingly rare occurrence, I will admit).

I became a member of the trumpet section in the Western Washington University Symphony Orchestra in the 2021-22 academic year, right out of COVID and virtual music school. Playing with my fellow students in the group last year gave me some of the best experiences of my life. William Dawson, Edward Elgar, Leonard Bernstein, John Williams, Francis Poulenc, and the debut of a fellow composition student's piece... the return to live music was better than any of us ever could have dreamed of. Previewing a concert work by John Williams will be a moment and a feeling I will never, ever forget.

After this academic year (2022-23), we will take a trip to Spain to perform at storied locations, culminating at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona. It is set to be an 8 day, 6 night trip. Sightseeing locations will include the Alhambra, several spots in Valencia, and a tour of Barcelona. We will continue to do group fundraising projects throughout the year to lower every student's overall cost; however, our current contribution has been capped at $3,000 per student. If you are reading this, I highly encourage you to look into the efforts the orchestra at large will engage in to lower our collective cost.

This is the trip of a lifetime, and I am fully committed to making it happen for myself. That being said, $3,000 is a lot of money for any college student, and I cannot overstate how much I would appreciate any help I can get. I am setting the goal at $1,500 and attempting to earn the remainder myself as quickly as possible. Absolutely anything helps! Whether you feel compelled to donate a small amount or have things I can do for you to earn money (particularly musically related things, but I'm up for anything), I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for your support!