Learning Beyond the Classroom Walls

What’s the secret to a successful school music travel or festival experience? Simply put, planning, planning, and more planning though that can hardly be called a secret. The preparations required vary in accordance with the magnitude of the endeavor, but most involve some degree of fundraising and the garnering of administrative and parental support, in addition to the obvious logistical details of transportation and possibly accommodations. And let’s not forget that minor detail of preparing the students to perform the music!

However, in spite of the headache travel or festival planning can be, the potential benefits are vast. From professional adjudication to eye-opening intercultural exchanges, these events often provide the most memorable and rewarding experiences a school music program has to offer for students and teachers alike.

This latest SBO survey on travel and festivals includes responses from directors who have taken ensembles as far as China and Russia, as well as comments from many others, who, for a variety of reasons, have kept their musical groups much closer to home.

Have any of your student music groups traveled this school year?