Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Encore Crescendo Photo Contest

For more than 25 years, we’ve believed that successful music programs and great travel experiences go hand in hand. Our customized performance tours help ensembles find purpose, build unity, and share their music with audiences around the world. These journeys strengthen friendships, boost community pride, and remind students and directors alike why music matters.

But our commitment doesn’t end when the tour concludes. Through director workshops, professional networking events, and a range of scholarship programs for young musicians, we continue to support music education year-round. Every opportunity we create is part of our mission to take music programs to new places, both literally and figuratively.

This year, the 2025 Encore Crescendo Photo Contest invited travelers to share images that capture the heart of performance travel: connection, culture, and creativity in motion. From grand cathedrals to spontaneous moments outdoors, the submissions remind us that when music and travel meet, something extraordinary happens.

First Place

Peabody Children’s Chorus

Photos submitted by Mary Poling
Location: Côte d’Azur, France

This candid beach performance captures the Peabody singers at their most joyful, sharing music under the open sky as waves roll along the Côte d’Azur. It marked the final days of their concert tour through France, a journey that began with sacred works beneath the soaring dome of La Madeleine in Paris and continued through the lavender fields and Roman amphitheaters of Provence. By the time they reached the Mediterranean, their music had become not just a performance, but a celebration of everything they had discovered together.

The ensemble will be rewarded with a scholarship of $750 toward their next Encore Tour, along with a $300 Amazon Gift Card.

Second Place

Villanova Pastoral Musicians

Photo by Adriana Fernandez
Location: Église de la Madeleine, Paris, France

The Villanova Pastoral Musicians’ photograph was taken during their concert at La Madeleine, one of Paris’s most cherished sacred spaces. This performance marked the beginning of a pilgrimage that carried the ensemble from the grandeur of the French capital to the historic cathedrals of Normandy and the spiritual tranquility of Lourdes. Along the way, they sang for local congregations, honored the memory of American soldiers at Normandy’s beaches, and shared music that spoke to faith, peace, and connection across borders. Their photo reflects the same sense of reverence and purpose that defined every note of their journey.

The ensemble will be rewarded with a scholarship of $500 toward their next Encore Tour, along with a $200 Amazon Gift Card.

Third Place

Alexandria Choral Society

Photos curated by Kathryn Harsha
Location: St. Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland

Through her photography, Kathryn Harsha captured the Alexandria Choral Society’s tour through Ireland and Scotland with warmth and authenticity. The ensemble began their travels in Dungarvan, where they were welcomed by host families, then performed at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin and at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. Along the way they connected with local choirs, shared music in historic spaces, and explored places that shaped their cultural heritage. These photos remind us how performance travel deepens our understanding of both music and the world.

The ensemble will be rewarded with a scholarship of $250 toward their next Encore Tour, along with a $100 Amazon Gift Card.

Honorable Mentions

We were inspired by the many other submissions that captured the beauty, artistry, and connection that define performance travel. From spontaneous outdoor rehearsals to quiet moments of reflection, each image reflected the same spirit of discovery that drives every Encore tour. Every performance abroad becomes a conversation between cultures, one that leaves lasting impressions on both audiences and performers alike.

Among the highlights was a submission from the New England Conservatory Preparatory Piano Program, whose students gathered beneath the statue of Johann Sebastian Bach at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. Their photo beautifully illustrates how young musicians connect with the history of their art, performing in the same spaces where musical genius once flourished.

These and many other photos reminded us that performance travel is about more than concerts and applause. It’s about the friendships made, the shared moments in unfamiliar places, and the joy of seeing the world through music. We’re grateful to everyone who shared their journey with us and look forward to seeing what stories next year will bring.

Thank You to All Participants

A heartfelt thank you to every director, performer, and traveler who shared their Encore journey with us this year. Your photos remind us why we do this work: helping musicians experience the world through their art and bringing music to life on remarkable stages.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see more of the winning entries and highlights from this year’s Crescendo Photo Contest.

We can’t wait to see where your performances take you next.