Another option is to buy a cheap international phone. STA Travel sells international phones for $39, with $20 worth of call time.

But these days, “most kids don’t actually talk on their phones,” observed Patrick Connor, a vice president of SYTA and president of Director’s Choice Tour & Travel, which coordinates performance tours for student musical groups. Instead, many teens prefer to text and post updates on Facebook, Foursquare or Twitter.

That’s a great way for parents to see what they’re up to – as long as you don’t mind not hearing their voices. Just make sure you inquire about international data rates for cell phones to cover texting and Internet service overseas.

“If someone doesn’t get an international data or texting plan, they can end up with a multi-hundred dollar bill,” Connor said…

Link To The Full Story

So what will you do if everything doesn’t go as planned? Will a delayed flight, flat tire, lost passport, or air carrier strike be a bump in the road or will it ruin the trip?

Very seldom does a group trip run exactly as planned – there are simply too many variables! Amazingly, most challenges can be kept behind the scenes by taking a few simple precautions:

• Work with a professional travel planner experienced in working with groups like yours
• Travel with an experienced Tour Director
• Educate travelers
• Purchase travel insurance
• Make copies of important documents

WORK WITH A PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL PLANNER EXPERIENCED IN WORKING WITH GROUPS LIKE YOURS
I am always amazed when I hear about groups – large groups – that utilize the services of a friend or relative that “used to be in the travel business.”  As a professional student travel planner, I participate in ongoing professional development sessions, attend numerous industry conferences, maintain a $2 million insurance policy, and travel with dozens of groups each year.  My active participation in the student travel industry helps me select the best vendors, negotiate the best prices/terms with suppliers, and maintain a support system that allows me to deal with unforeseen complications.  When something goes wrong, it is very likely that I have the cell phone number for the person/people that can help make things right.  If the person/company responsible for planning your trip can’t say the same – find someone else.

TRAVEL WITH AN EXPERIENCED TOUR DIRECTOR
Insist that your travel planner contract an experienced Tour Director for your trip.  Then, let him do his job!  Experienced Tour Directors are not (necessarily) guides.  Their job is to coordinate the logistics of your trip to ensure that every traveler – even you – can stay relaxed and enjoy the travel experience.

EDUCATE TRAVELERS
When I am traveling as a Tour Director, I start each tour by telling the group “Something is going to go wrong on this trip – A flight is going to be delayed, a bus will break down, it’s gonna rain or snow unexpectedly – something.  You can either enjoy the extra time with your friends or let it ruin your trip.  Remember – happiness is a choice!”  Most of the time, this sets the tone for travelers to be understanding of the everyday challenges involved in group travel.  On the few occasions that I haven’t been able to give my pre-trip pep talk, people get immediately sour the second that something complicates or delays our travel.  Since most of the people that travel with my groups are not experienced travelers, I believe that knowing the issues we will face are not unique to their group sets them at ease.

PURCHASE TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel insurance – the good stuff – that covers cancellation, delay, illness, accidents, etc. – is not cheap but can be a lifesaver (literally). I am not going to list all of the reasons that one may need to utilize such a policy, as I am sure that if you think for a second you can dream up 100 or more. Groups that purchase travel insurance have a tool that empowers them to deal with such challenges. Simply put, if the security and safety of your group is a priority, then travel insurance is a must!

MAKE COPIES OF IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Not much explanation is needed here. Have multiple copies of ID cards, Passports, Medical Releases, etc. Including a copy with someone that is not on the trip, but available to email/fax documents as needed. Sometimes having a copy of a lost Passport can mean the difference between getting home and getting stuck.

While this list is far from inclusive, I hope that it gets you thinking about your contingency plan.

Safe Travels!!!!

The annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival is one of the most innovative jazz education events in the world. Each year, high school musicians from across North America travel to New York City to spend three days immersed in workshops, jam sessions, rehearsals and performances at the “House of Swing,” Jazz at Lincoln Center’s home, Frederick P. Rose Hall.

The Competition & Festival, held each May, is the culmination of the year-long Essentially Ellington program, during which members are invited to submit a recording and 15 finalist bands are selected through a rigorous screening process. Each finalist band receives an in-school workshop in their community led by a professional musician before coming to New York to put up their Dukes and perform before Wynton Marsalis and a panel of esteemed judges. In the past, finalist bands have had the priviledge to work with such workshop clinicians as trumpeter Terell Stafford; Ronald Carter, the widely respected jazz educator; Justin DiCioccio, director of Jazz Studies at Manhattan School of Music; saxophonist Loren Schoenberg; Reggie Thomas, pianist and educator; as well as Jazz at Lincoln Center’s own Victor Goines. Among the past judges have been former Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra conductor and arranger David Berger; Gunther Schuller, who, according to All Music Guide, “is composer, conductor, horn player, jazz performer, writer, administrator, publisher, and teacher, all wrapped up into one tiny bundle of seemingly endless energy”; Pulitzer Prize-nominated jazz musician and composer David Baker; and who else but Wynton Marsalis himself.

The festival concludes with a final evening Concert and Awards Ceremony open to the public at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall featuring the three top-placing bands and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

Since 1997, eighty finalist bands have come to the great stages of New York City to compete in the Competition & Festival. EE alumni continue to saturate the jazz scene – teaching, performing and carrying on the vital legacy of Duke Ellington’s music. Among such alumni include the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s very own Carlos Henriquez, bassist.

If you are interested in learning more, or participating in this extraordinary event – visit their website.

The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall is now accepting applications for the 2011 National High School Choir Festival. Selected High School Choirs will enjoy:

• One full day of rehearsal, on their home campus, with Norman Mackenzie
• Three days of rehearsal in New York City
• Performance at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s under the baton of Mr. Spano

The best part is that there is no participation fee!  While groups are responsible for their own travel expenses, there is no cost for this once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunity.

If you would like to find out more about the National High School Choral Festival, please feel free to contact me at (877) 328-2583 or pconnor@directorschoice.travel.

Festival Application Download (pdf)

Festival Brochure Download (pdf)

Applications for performance and clinics are due by March 12, 2010. If you are interested, click on the appropriate link below:

Click here for performance application (PDF)
Click here to enter the online clinic proposal system

Without a doubt, the training that we received provided us with an entirely new way for our sales team to help our customers consider and navigate through their buying decisions – providing a fantastic vehicle for us to better serve our customers. Thanks to Sharon Drew’s fantastic work, her visionary ideas, a well-thought out coaching plan and a tireless effort by our eager team, I am excited to report that we have already begun reaping measurable benefits – just a few days after being immersed into a concept that was totally foreign at the outset. I cannot wait to see how our skills will progress over the next 7+ weeks, but I feel confident that we are headed for a level of success that was previously unattainable!

In addition to the application of Buying Facilitation® as a sales concept, it became immediately apparent that this ideology could – and will – weave its way throughout our entire corporate culture. In fact, we have already applied this decision-facilitation methodology to several aspects of our business with great success. Indeed, Sharon Drew also taught us how Buying Facilitation® can be used as a leadership/decision-making tool for us to us internally (team building, executive decision making, etc.) and with our clients (customer service, negotiation, problem solving, etc).

Isn’t it great when the right team, information, and presenter collide to create excellence in a form that helps to provide students with positively-life-changing experiences!!

This year, however, two of the ensembles that we (Director’s Choice Tour & Travel) escorted to Chicago raised the bar for high school performing ensembles.

The Spring Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Rick Rodriguez, was unlike any academic concert I have ever witnessed. Their music was flawlessly prepared and their performance quality was on par with Blue Man Group or Stomp. From hand position, to facial expressions, to breathing – every detail was perfect. Their repertoire ranged from traditional to cutting-edge, and was mostly centered around the melodic percussion and auxiliary instruments rather than drums.

A new composition from world-renowned composer and performer She-E Wu closed the show, at which time the standing-room-only audience could barely contain themselves. A much deserved standing ovation followed, allowing ample time for the students and teachers involved with this project to know just how much it was enjoyed. As I stood clapping enthusiastically, I couldn’t help thinking “I would buy a ticket to see that again.”

After the Spring concert, I was hesitant to attend any other performances for fear that they would pale in comparison.

The next day, however, the Hebron High School Clarinet Choir, directed by Andy Sealy, presented a concert that would hold it’s own in any company.

As they opened with Bach’s Fugue in G Minor, it became clear that the audience was in for a treat!

This sixteen piece ensemble played with such musicality and technique that it was hard to believe the performers were high-school aged and not professional musicians. With a flawless stage presence, the ensemble performed works from Nelhybel, Rutter, Debussy, Grainger, and others.

Throughout the hour long performance, each piece ended with a unison whispered “wow” from the audience followed by a roaring applause. It was clear that every educator in the room new they were in the presence of excellence.

Additionally, guest oboe soloist William Wollett (a graduate of Hebron High School and student at Julliard) played beautifully and effortlessly giving one of the finest live oboe performances I have ever witnessed.

So, congratulations to the students and teachers of the Hebron High School and Spring High School ensembles. I am sure that your performances last week will have a lasting impact on all of those fortunate enough to attend.

The reason for this trip was to participate in the Music For All Bands of America Grand Nationals, a marching contest featuring top high school bands from across the USA. In last night’s finals competition, the Marcus Band won top honors in the Music caption, and placed fourth overall. Congratulations to the students, teachers, and parents for an amazing end to a successful 2009 season!

While their field performances this week were world class, their “performance” off the field has been even more impressive. From the second that I met these outstanding young ladies and gentlemen at the DFW airport on Thursday, they have been nothing less than perfect. Without exception, each student has been so very polite and respectful of every person and place they have encountered that it is almost not believable. I can honestly say that in the 12 years since we started Director’s Choice, I have never heard the words “please ” and “thank you” more consistently.

Anytime the students are asked to listen, they do so – intently and immediately. During several hours of intense rehearsals, the band members remained totally focused and worked diligently to put the final touches on an already outstanding show. And, as other bands performed and were recognized, the students were so appreciative that you would think they came just to support their peers.

I hope that someday my daughter will have the opportunity be a part of an organization that understands excellence at the level achieved by the Marcus Band!

Here is an excerpt from the email I received:

“After you talked with Cline Tours, they called me and offered a package with 2 overnights on the buses, one night in a hotel with breakfast, admission to Universal and Islands of Adventure, and the Music in the Parks performance for…”

I find it shocking that any company would have the audacity to immediately turn around and try to steal a piece of business from which they are already going to profit!

I have contacted my sales person (John McCommon) this morning to express my concern, and he assures me that this is against their policies. He is going to investigate how such a thing happens and get back to me this afternoon. I have no idea how they believe they can right this situation, but I am interested in his response.

In the meantime, I am working with my client to – get this – revamp their package to include a lesser hotel – similar to the one offered by the coach charter company. Which now means that I will likely have to put this group in a hotel that is below the service standards that we promise our clients – or lose the business.

I will post later in the day with a follow-up on Mr. McCommon’s response and how the situation resolves itself with our group. For now, I warn my colleagues to beware of any supplier (note that to avoid litigation – I am not singling out any one company in this statement) that has a reputation of unethical business practices such as contacting clients directly.

Jack Green, the Director of Bands at Westwood High School, was kind enough to send me some mp3 files of a Voice of America in Thailand radio piece that covers the Westwood Warrior band’s recent trip to New York and performance at the Statue of Liberty.

I have always encouraged our group leaders to involve the local and regional media in their travel and performance experiences, but this is way beyond regional coverage!! Not surprising considering that everything this group does is first rate!

I have attached the transcript and podcast files to this post.

Audio From Mr. Green
Audio From NYC Trip

PART 1: WESTWOOD BAND

Sawaddee ka, listeners.

Drum Roll

Star Spangled Banner

MR. GREEN:

Good morning from Austin, Texas. The Westwood Band is a group of student musicians ranging from 14 to 18 years old.

Chanida:

That is the voice of Ajarn Jack Green, the Director of Band of the Westwood Warrior Band from the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. Ajarn Green says that the Westwood Band consists of 300 student musicians ranging from 14 to 18 years of age.

The Westwood Band is renown all over the U.S. because they are the band that has consistently won first place in many, many contests ever since the Band’s inception 26 years ago. In addition, when the school’s football team takes to the field on Friday evenings, the Westwood Band never misses playing on as a morale booster for both the players and the spectators.

Ajarn Green says that:

MR. GREEN:

I was born here in Texas, grew up primarily in Houston, Texas. I’ve been at Westwood High School as the Band Director for 14 years.

Chanida:

Ajarn Green says that he was born in Texas, grew up in Houston and took on the position of the Westwood Warrior Band Director 14 years ago. Ajarn Green himself started playing the trombone since Grade 6, similar to the students he currently teaches in the Band. After he received the Bachelor and Masters Degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, he became the Westwood Band Director.

Not too long ago, Ajarn Green led 180 members of the Westwood Warrior Band to New York City to perform at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Ajarn Green explains the purpose of the trip.

MR. GREEN:

It’s very easy to sit here in Austin, Texas and think you’re the center of the universe. We have about 15 flutes that are going, 20 clarinets, 15 saxophones, 16 trumpets, 15 French horns, 10 trombones, 6 tubas, 24 percussionists, a group of color guards spinning flags doing different dance works.

Chanida:

Ajarn Green explains that students who are situated only in Austin, Texas may be tempted to think that Austin is the center of everything. Ajarn Green therefore would like the students to be exposed to the world outside by organizing a trip every 2 years. This year, Ajarn Green chose New York. He mobilizes 15 flutes, 20 clarinets, 15 saxophones, 16 trumpets, 15 French horns, 10 trombones, 6 gigantic tubas, 24 percussionists, 4 dancers spinning colorful flags and a contingent of music directors and chaperones, so New Yorkers can feast their eyes and ears on their performance.

Let’s listen to the acclaimed Westwood warrior Band from the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas, with Ajarn Jack Green as the Band Director, performing at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. Chanida Angkanarak reporting.

Music

PART 2: NEW YORK CITY TRIP

Sawaddee ka, listeners.

Music

MR. GREEN:

We’re hoping for great weather so keep your fingers crossed. We want to have a great performance at the Statue of Liberty.

Chanida:

Even though the weather in New York City is very unpredictable, Ajarn Jack Green cannot help but hoping for great weather when he leads the Westwood Warrior Band to perform at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Ajarn Green is the Director of the Band from the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas.

However, as the performance day arrives in the Spring, New York weather turns wickedly cold. The temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius, with winds gusting to almost 65 kilometers per hour. But Ajarn Green and his students never give in. They grit their teeth and charge on with songs about Texas and American patriotic songs, befitting the ambiance.

Before they can put on the performance in New York, Ajarn Green had to execute quite a bit of preparation.

MR. GREEN:

An eighteen wheeler is going to pull up to the school, and we’ll load all our luggage, suitcases and instruments on the 18 wheeler, the truck that’s going to drive to New York and meet us at our hotel.

Chanida:

Ajarn Green explains the preparation for the New York Trip that a big 18 wheeler would pull up in front of the school. Then the students would help load the musical instruments, other gear and suitcases onto the truck. The truck would then be driven ahead of the Band to New York City and would be waiting to meet the Band at the hotel. Ajarn Green and the students would travel by plane with only a day pack.

MR. GREEN:

I chose to work with a tour company called the Directors’ Choice stationed here in Texas. It’s actually a tour company that got started by a HS band director here in Texas.

Chanida:
Ajarn Green says that he chose the service of a tour company named the Director’s Choice, which was founded by a band director in Texas. The reason is because when he was planning for the trip, he telephoned several airlines to inquire about the transportation cost of the musical instruments. The results were that the cost to transport even one gigantic tuba is going to be $200 one way. The Westwood Band has 6 tubas! And this was not even factoring in the transportation cost for other musical instruments plus the plane tickets for the 180 members! Ajarn Green therefore decided to use an 18 wheeler to carry the load.

A member of the Band who performs in New York is Khun Jonathan Stegall.

JONATHAN:

Sawaddee Krub, I’m Jonathan Stegall. I go the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. I play the trumpet for the Westwood Band.

Chanida:

Khun Jonathan plays the trumpet and practices every day or every other day for several months.

Coming to New York, Khun Jonathan says that he has already visited several spots.

JONATHAN:

So far I really enjoyed Times Square. I really liked Broadway.

Chanida:

Khun Jonathan says that he really enjoyed Time Square and Broadway.

Khun Jonathan observes some differences between Austin, Texas and New York.

JONATHAN:

The obvious difference: For one, the weather. The clouds are a lot lower here on top of buildings. I don’t know whether that’s because the clouds are low or the buildings are taller than you can see.

Chanida:

Khun Jonathan observes that the weather in New York is different, that is colder, than the weather in Austin. In addition, the clouds above the buildings seem to be lower. He’s not sure whether it’s because the buildings are taller than the eye can see or the clouds are lower than the top of the buildings.

That’s the music from the famous Westwood Warrior Band from the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. Ajarn Jack Green is the Band Director and Khun Jonathan Stegall is a trumpet player. They are performing at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. I’m Chanida Angkanarak.

Music