We love a tried-and-true destination – but you know what we also love? Watching a new destination join the ranks of our most requested cities to explore.
In recent years, Nashville has become a student favorite, and it’s no wonder! Of course student musicians would fall in love with Music City and the sights and sounds that draw millions of visitors each year. Here are some Nashville highlights that students love:
University Clinics
Learning from master clinicians can take your group to the next level, expanding on their classroom instruction and inspiring them to dream bigger. Work with expert instructors at Vanderbilt, Belmont, Trevecca Nazarene or Tennessee State – there’s no shortage of accomplished instructors in Music City!
Country Music – and So Much More
Music really is in the air here, with every genre represented. Of course, you can’t talk about Nashville without talking about country music – some of the biggest names got their start here, from Johnny Cash to Dolly Parton to T. Swift herself. Students love to visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, with exhibits featuring its earliest roots to its present-day mega-stars – not to mention its multiple performance venues.
But Nashville also features the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, the National Museum of African American Museum, and, coming in 2025, the Gospel Music Museum. These hidden gems can add a nice bit of texture to your Nashville itinerary.
Recording Opportunities
Learn what it takes to make an album at RCA Studios – your group could even record something of their own! Feel history come alive in the famous Studio B, where you and your students can stand in the same spot as famous rock & roll and country artists when they recorded some of their biggest hits.
Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium
Both historic performance venues could be considered hallowed ground for music fans – and not just country music fans, either! Bob Dylan, Harry Houdini, Elvis Presley, Ringo Starr, Patsy Cline, Wu-Tang Clan – these two venues hold enough American music history to blow your students’ minds, regardless of the genre they love. The backstage tour of the Opry is always a hit, as knowledgeable guides lead students through the massive prep space and the themed dressing rooms.
Southern Cuisine
Mouth-watering BBQ, fluffy biscuits, decadent desserts, the signature Nashville hot fried chicken and more are all on the menu here. Paula Deen’s Country Kitchen could (and should!) be a delicious stop on our tour of the city.
Beautiful Performance Venues
Take what you’ve learned at your university clinic and perform at any number of public venues, parks, museums, or plazas, where you’ll showcase your program to the locals and visitors to Music City.
In addition to the considerable music education opportunities, Nashville is also steep in the cross-curricular activities that administrators like to see on an itinerary: Civil War mansions, presidential homes (two within 45 miles of downtown), art museums, history museums and more.
Nashville is centrally located within 500 miles of over half of the U.S. population, making it an accessible motorcoach ride or short flight from home. It’s both affordable and easy to plan for. If you’re looking to grow your program with masterful teaching from expert clinicians, music-filled bonding time for your students and a welcoming, vibrant city to explore, then Nashville could be the destination for you!
We’d love to dream up destination possibilities with you and design a custom itinerary that your students will love. Let’s start the conversation – reach out today!