As the end of the year approaches, and with summer vacation on the horizon, it can be difficult to keep your students engaged at the end of the year. How can you successfully wrap up your school year? What do you have your students work on if they’ve already performed their end-of-year concert? How will you keep students engaged over the summer months? Answers to all these and more can be found in our ‘How to keep your students engaged at the end of the year’ handout with content from the experts at BandDirectorsTalkShop.com. Handout highlights include: Games like Musical Jeopardy and “Beat the Director” Activities teaching aural skills, rhythmic dictation and instrument care Summer retention strategies Social media plans summer months Student and staff recognition methods Books to read on your summer vacation Program evaluation techniques And more! Download the handout
February 12, 2026 Encore Tours Why International Travel Can Transform a Church Choir A church choir can rehearse together for years. They can sing beautifully, serve liturgy faithfully, and become an essential part of parish life. Backstage Blog
February 12, 2026 Encore Tours Announcing Encore’s Best Promotion for Early Planners If you’re starting to think about an international performance tour in 2027 or 2028, this is an especially good moment to begin the conversation. Backstage Blog Planning Your Tour
February 4, 2026 David Solar ETIAS Explained: What U.S. Travelers Need to Know for Europe in 2026 If you’re planning a performance tour to Europe in 2026 or beyond, you may start hearing more about ETIAS. ETIAS for U.S. Backstage Blog Get Ready To Travel