We are so passionate about traveling the world that sometimes we forget to focus on just our upcoming tour and narrow down our many wishlist destinations to a single one! Here are a few tricks to help you find the perfect destination for your tour. ▶ Find the venues you love Perhaps you have always wanted to sing at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin or Notre Dame in France. As performance tours focus around your performances, consider choosing your venues first, then the destination will follow! ▶ Focus on a language Musicians tend to be well-versed in many different languages and cultures—it’s just in our nature to know where our music comes from, as music is indeed a worldly experience. So if you’re a big fan of le français, Debussy, Ravel, Fauré—need I name more?—then perhaps it is time for you to visit that city on the Seine, known as the “City of Light”…oui, oui, Paris! ▶ Work around your budget If you’re on a tight budget, choosing a destination that fits your budget is of the utmost importance. The right destination can be saving you hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars! One thing to consider is the expense to fly overseas. Is your group having difficulties affording the flights to Spain this year? Perhaps a trip to Costa Rica will be a good choice for this year while you save up for next year! Remember, there will always be more opportunities with your ensemble to travel. So take it easy, focus on your upcoming tour and find the destination that is the right fit for you and your ensemble. For more information on performance venues and destinations, visit Encore Tours.
December 15, 2025 David Solar Join Us at the 2026 Jazz Educators Network Conference in New Orleans The 2026 Jazz Educators Network Conference is just around the corner, taking place January 7–10 in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. Backstage Blog
December 11, 2025 Encore Tours Announcing the 2026 Encore Crescendo Contest Performance tours create moments that stay with you. A quiet warmup before the doors open. A view from the risers that captures the character of a venue. Backstage Blog
December 8, 2025 Encore Tours Encore Experiences: Behind the Curtain in Hungary The next chapter in our “Behind the Curtain” series, created for travelers who seek artistry, culture, and connection in every note. Backstage Blog