2017 Band Tour Informational
Meeting7:00 PM
Sunday, October 25th Families sitting in the first four rows go free (not really)
Background and information
Details about the tour
The most important question:
Why do we do this?
Why do we do this? Our goal with the European Tours is to give the
students a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in a musical event that will aside from being a great musical experience will also be a formative experience for their adult life and to be a chance to have a positive growth experience with their peers.
The ItinerarySubject to change
Day 1 Travel Day
We will travel to MSP via coach bus
Probably looking at about a 7PM flight departure (3:30PM bus departure from SHS)
On the plane overnight
Day 2
Approx. 1PM arrive at Munich Airport
Transfer by motorcoach to Czesky Krumlov
Check into hotel on the main square
Some free time to roam this preserved medieval city
Traditional Czech welcome dinner.
Day 3
Check out of hotel and transfer by motorcoach to Prague
Guided tour of the city starting with Wenceslas Square
First performance of the tour at St. Nicholas Church located right on the Old Town Square
St. Nicholas Church
Venue #1
Day 4
Sightseeing continues today at the Prague Castle area high above the city. See the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral and the nearby Golden Lanes, formerly filled with shops of gold ands silversmiths. In the Old Town, walk through the old Jewish Quarter. Prague was home to composers Smetena and Dvorak and both are buried in the Vysehradsky Hrbitov Cemetery.
Day 5Depart for musical Vienna, capital of Austria. Enjoy a sightseeing tour where you see the Ring Strasse with the glittering State Opera House, the Imperial Palace, the State Apartments, the National Library and the Hofburg. Enjoy free time to explore and shop on the Stephansplatz. Check in at the hotel. Enjoy dinner in the Old Town at the Augustiner Keller Restaurant. Evening concert in St. Stephen’s Cathedral of Vienna.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna
Venue #2
Day 6Tour the Vienna State Opera House. Its conductors represent the elite of the musical world--Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Herbert von Karajan and Lorin Maazel. Later visit Schonbrunn Palace, the former summer
home of the Hapsburg Family that ruled Austria for centuries. Enjoy free time followed by a special Heurigen dinner with music at the Restaurant Mayer. It is on the Pfarrplatz near Grinzing just outside of Vienna.
Day 7We leave Austria today to Budapest. A guided sightseeing tour of Budapest shows you the Parliament, Hero’s Square, Szechenyi Thermal Baths, and St. Stephen’s Basilica. Cross the Danube over the Margaret Bridge and drive to the Royal Castle on the Buda side. Here we see the Fishermen’s Bastion and the Matthias Church with spectacular views over the city. Dinner on your own on the pedestrian-only Vaci Street. Evening sightseeing cruise on the Danube River.
Day 8You have the entire day to enjoy Budapest. Venture out in small groups and explore the city using public
transportation. Visit the Great Market Hall. The unique Szechenyi Thermal Baths are fun if you enjoy swimming and there is excellent souvenir shopping on Andrassy Avenue and on the pedestrian-only Vaci Street. Finale concert at St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Following the concert, enjoy a farewell dinner with Hungarian music at
Borkatakomba Etterem.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Venue #3
Day 9
Travel day.
Home to Shakopee!!!
What’s included in the price?
Land/Air Package-$3195
Round trip airfare from Minneapolis to Munich/Budapest Transportation by deluxe 50-passenger motorcoach Professional local tour manager to facilitate the program7-nights hotel in triple/twin occupancy
Breakfast daily and 5 group dinners as listedSightseeing as listed in the itineraryAdmissions as required for the sightseeing programGuided sightseeing tours of Prague, Vienna & Budapest 3 Concerts with local promotionGratuities to guides, drivers and local city-guidesTravel Guard Group Protection Plan Insurance Coverage
Online tour registrationComplete set of travel documents
Local Budget ($130) Airport transfer $18
Percussion/chair/organ rental $20
Performance attire $40
Staff stipends $18
Excess Luggage fees $23
Contingency Fund $15
Payment ScheduleStudent Payment Schedule: Option 1 Option 2
November 1st, 2015 $200 Deposit $200 Deposit
December 1st, 2015 $200 $0
January 1st, 2016 $200 $0
February 1st, 2016 $195 $0
March 1st, 2016 $195 $0
April 1st, 2016 $195 $785
May 1st, 2016 $395 $395
June 1st, 2016 $195 $395
July 1st, 2016 $195 $195
August 1st, 2016 $195 $195
Sept 1st, 2016 $195 $195
Oct 1st, 2016 $195 $195
Nov 1st, 2016 $195 $195
Dec 1st, 2016 $195 $195
Jan 1st, 2017 $195 $195
Feb 1st, 2017 Remainder of tour cost. (Currently estimated at $185)
Upcoming Fundraisers
November (2015 and 2016):
Annual Band Fruit Sale
December (2015 and 2016):
Silent Auction at December Concert
January:
Droolin’ Moose Sale (Valentines Day)
May:
Von Hanson’s Fundraiser
More To Come!!
Fundraising Committee?
Tour LifeWhat to expect on tour
3 performances “upper tier” venues
Billed as the “Shakopee High School Wind Orchestra”
All three venues are selling tickets
Dress will be concert black. All women will be in the wind ensemble dresses, Wind Ensemble men will be in their tuxes, symphonic band and concert band men will be in rented tuxes.
All three venues are churches during Lent. Music must be approved
Tour Families
Each student will be put into a mixed gender family with an adult chaperon with their roommate(s).
These families serve as a “homebase” for the students throughout the tour.
Hotels All hotels are European 4 star.
Breakfasts are included every morning.
Single beds-no sharing
Most kids will be in doubles, some in triples
Tours Mix of walking and bus tours
Local Guides from each city included
One local tour manager on each bus (Sylvia and Christine)
Local coordinator in each city
All admissions inlcuded
Food Every breakfast is included
Lunches are on own (markets and squares)
5 of 7 dinners are included group dinners
Three countries Czech Republic
Language: Czech
Currency: Czech Crown (many places will take Euros)
Austria
Language: German
Currency: Euro
Hungary
Launguage: Hungarian
Currency: Hugarian Forint (many places will take Euros)
What’s not included Passport
Souvenir Money
Lunches
2 dinners
International phone access
Air Travel Probable flight over:
MSP to AMS to MUN
Probable flight back:
BUD to AMS to MSP
Flight is booked 11 months from departure. Difficult to add into the tour after this point
Luggage/Instruments Tubas/percussion/euphoniums/horns: checked
instrument, carry on luggage.
Trumpets, bass clarinets, trombones, alto saxes, tenor saxes, bassoons: checked luggage, instrument is carry-on
Flutes, clarinets, oboes: carry on or checked.
Work out with stand partner who packs a wire stand.
Tour Capacity We sized venues for an 80 member ensemble
We are utilizing 56 passenger busses
Behvior Expectations All Shakopee band tours have run exceptionally
smoothly and have had zero instances that needed to be dealt with
Other schools are not so lucky
Major infractions will be sent home
Rehearsal Expectations
Rehearsals will be a mixture of Monday Evenings and the morning of the week that faculty meetings are set on.
There will be a first rehearsal before this years commencement
Students will have their music before leaving for the summer
Registration Student registration is a google form
Link is on the band tour webpage
Remaining chaperon spots will be assigned with an application
Deposits can be given to Mr. Vander Veen this evening or mailed/dropped off at Pearson
Payments Do NOT send payments with the students to
the high school
Payments can be sent to Mr. Vander Veen at JHW, or dropped off
Pay pal link (credit cards) will be available shortly.
Questions?