The “Request this slot” link gives you the ability to enter your first and last name, school name, ensemble type, e-mail address, and phone number. This will let the Choice Music Events staff know you’re interested in the performance time.

The “Request if opens up” link gives you the option of submitting your name and e-mail address so we can notify you if that performance time becomes available.

We hope you find these improvements useful, and look forward to adding even more functionality in the near future!

In an effort to support these music programs in crisis, The Foundation for Music Education has created the Joplin Music Program Relief Fund. On behalf of the music programs in Joplin, it is my hope that you as a supporter of music education will find a way to get involved in this effort. Suggested ways to help are:

• Make a donation! Send a check or use the TFME website for a credit card donation.
• Encourage your students or the local band, choir, or orchestra to perform an event to raise funds for this essential project.
• At existing music performances, pass a jar to allow music lovers to support these music programs in Joplin.
• Band and orchestra programs with working instruments that are no longer needed are encouraged to send equipment to the Director’s Choice Tour & Travel office. This equipment will be bundled and shipped to Joplin High School.

Donations can be made online at www.foundationformusiceducation.org or mailed to the following address:

The Foundation for Music Education
Attn: Joplin Music Program Relief Fund
10701 Upland Avenue
Lubbock, Texas 79424

All donations will be utilized to directly rebuild the Joplin music programs. If you prefer – specify band, orchestra, or choir. There is much to do during this busy time of year, but please take a moment to get involved in this worthwhile project!

Respectfully,

Jon Locke
Owner & CEO
Director’s Choice Tour & Travel

From sunrise to sunset, the Island is the perfect playground for sailing, fishing, windsurfing, dolphin watching, horseback riding, shopping, and golf, among other things. As the day winds down with a picturesque sunset over the bay, the evening comes alive with dining, dancing and music. Large selections of fine restaurants are available for the choosing, and many will even cook your catch!

Why? Because almost every travel pricing forecast anticipates a marked increase in transportation and lodging prices over the coming months. With that in mind, Director’s Choice Tour & Travel anticipates that groups who book their 2012 travel before June 1, 2012 may pay up to 25% less than groups who wait to book their trips in the late-Summer to Fall.

Planning your 2012 trip might be the last thing on your mind right now. That is where Director’s Choice Tour & Travel can help. Let one of our professional travel planners help coordinate every aspect of the travel planning process. Let us visit with your parent leaders. Let us prepare the documents needed for your administrative approval process. Let us present the trip to your students

If you already have a strong relationship with a professional travel planner, please call them today to get the process started. If you find yourself in need of travel planning services, let the team at Director’s Choice Tour & Travel have an opportunity to exceed your expectations!

For us, this is more than an opportunity to get out of our office. It is our chance to meet directors, shake hands, put a face to the name, or after several years of great trips, just to say hello in person for a change. In this world of e-mails, texts, and phone calls (which are imperative to serving groups quickly and efficiently), it is refreshing to be face to face.

Our goal? Service. We brave the fluorescent lights, the humidity, and the over-indulgence of Mexican food for a single purpose: customer satisfaction. Our number one priority is to provide the best travel and performance experience possible for students, their parents, school administration, and most importantly for our directors. Thanks to the exhibit hall, we can brainstorm, tweak, and finalize each and every detail of the trip plans we make together. Travel opportunities make great differences in music programs all over the country and we like being a part of that – especially in person.

So, cheers to the San Antonio – where we gather to enhance what happens in rehearsal rooms everyday: teaching, playing, singing, and the changing of lives through music. Thanks for the opportunity to join in!

Although a group tour to a remote and fresh destination is exciting, it is important to be mindful of the potential elevated costs of such an activity. Consider a destination preceding and/ or following such an endeavor that is value packed at a lesser price point. By increasing what is included in the tour to a nearer destination, the recruitment and retention needs of a music program are sustained. The economic position of each community can be dissimilar; as a result the characteristics of each Director’s Choice Four Year Plan can be unique. Examples for groups originating from states in the South could be as follows:

A common misconception of group leaders is to assume that their ensembles have become weary of a specific destination. The reality is that a student group benefits from the experience of travelling together – they can have an extraordinary time anywhere!

A Director’s Choice Four Year Travel Plan also provides students, parents, directors, and administrators with a helpful instrument for preparation. All of the financial and performance requirements of a music program are determined in advance allowing everyone to be focused on the current obligations.