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.
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
February 3, 2026 David Solar Prelude 2026 in Rome: Inside Encore’s Signature Director Weekend Over MLK weekend, Encore welcomed music directors from across the country to Prelude 2026 in Rome. Backstage Blog
February 2, 2026 Encore Tours What an Encore Tour Proposal Includes (and How to Use It) Planning an international performance tour involves many moving parts. The proposal is where those pieces begin to come together. Backstage Blog Planning Your Tour