We all know the benefits of learning and performing music. Playing an instrument in an ensemble can improve a person’s sense of belonging and feeling of community, improve cognitive and motor skills, and help people form lifelong friendships.
Taking your ensemble on an international tour adds a multitude of additional benefits! Below are just five of the reasons why you should take your band or orchestra on an international tour:
Visit historic sites and concert venues
Though the United States has a rich musical history, your musicians rarely get to experience venues where famous classical musicians have performed. But in Europe and in other areas of the world, you can tour numerous sites and walk in the footsteps of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and others! Encore Tours groups have visited Salzburg Cathedral, where Mozart and his father worked as musicians, Haydnsaal, the concert hall within Esterhazy Palace where Haydn was court musician, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where Beethoven had his defining moment of deafness as he saw birds flying out of the bell tower but did not hear the bells, just to name a few.
Experience musical growth through cultural exchanges
There’s no doubt that culture influences the ways we learn, interpret, and experience music. If your tour includes cultural exchanges, it can enhance the learning and growth of your musicians. By practicing and performing with other musicians, your ensemble will be able to experience different cultural aspects of pitch, language, rhythm, and educational music methods that are taught differently throughout the world. Being part of this type of musical, cultural exchange can help musicians interpret music in new and different ways.
Develop different perspectives
It is vital for young people and adults alike to develop unique perspectives of the world. Travelers tend to be more open-minded than non-travelers, primarily due to experiencing cultures outside of their norm. Developing a unique perspective of the world can open up job possibilities and enhance the creative mind. Meeting people who are different than ourselves helps us to understand and appreciate different points of view.
Try new things
Believe it or not, the ability to try new things is an acquired skill! Not everyone has it. Providing your musicians with opportunities to get out of their comfort zone, explore the world, experiment, and try new things is an invaluable experience.
Grow together as a group
Spending a week or longer overseas performing alongside your peers is a truly unforgettable experience. Not only will your musicians become more focused with a goal in mind for rehearsals and performances, but they also become a close-knit family. Ensemble members get to experience new cultures together, perform in amazing venues with each other, and re-live their shared experiences once back home.
BONUS: Recruit more players to your ensemble
Who wouldn’t want to be part of a band or orchestra that has a proud tradition of touring all over the world? Musicians who have gone on past tours will help you recruit new members by sharing their fantastic tour experiences. By creating a tradition of touring with your ensemble, you’ll always have a goal to work toward with your members as well as a fantastic additional incentive for new members to join your group!
If you’re ready to start planning an international band or orchestra tour, contact one of Encore Tours’ performance tour experts at encoretours@acis.com or 877-460-3801.
