Alexander Tackmann, a senior at Cedar Springs High School, will perform in several European countries this summer with the Southern Wind Ensemble with Blue Lake Fine Arts camp.

Alex is the son of Curtis and Karen Tackmann, of Cedar Springs, and plays the trumpet.

More than 400 talented participants and staff will participate in the West Michigan summer arts school’s 42nd annual European tour. The countries where one or more Blue Lake group will visit and present concerts during June and July include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Each group will perform in six or seven communities while in Europe. In return, 20 European groups will also perform here.

Prior to departing, the nine groups will spend one week at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in intensive rehearsals and preparations for the tours.

In each European community they visit, students will stay in local homes, as will members of the groups touring here. When they return from Europe, each group will perform at Blue Lake Fine Arts camp, and some will perform a live radio broadcast on Blue Lake Public Radio FM 90.3 in Twin Lake/Muskegon, Michigan and FM 88.9 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.