Prelude 2025 – London Join us for Prelude, our exclusive professional development weekend for ensemble directors. The 2025 itinerary is still being finalized, but some of this year’s highlights will include: Welcome reception with cocktails and canapes Attend The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre, with a pre-performance introduction by Matt Wolf, London Theatre critic for the International New York Times Enjoy a choral venue showcase with tenor Robert Murray, followed by an instrumental venue showcase featuring students from the Royal College of Music Performance by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall Private tour of the Royal Albert Hall Visit to the Royal College of Music Farewell dinner at Mosimann’s And more! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to experience London like never before! Mark your calendar for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, and join us for a truly remarkable celebration of music and community! Group Leader Registration Companion registration Prelude – a beautiful introduction to the main event. Prelude is Encore Tours’ professional development weekend for ensemble directors, which takes place each year in a spectacular international destination. Now in its 11th year, Prelude is a unique event that 100% of over 200+ attending directors have rated as ‘excellent’ and beyond. The weekend is centered around exploration of personal and professional development, offering unlimited opportunities for networking, cultural experiences, and artistic development. Ensemble leaders will experience the local culture and arts through various sightseeing excursions, culinary delights, and professional performances. Join the Encore team and fellow music directors for an unforgettable musical experience set to take place from January 16-20, 2025, during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. This one-of-a-kind event promises to be a remarkable celebration of music and community. Prelude 2024 Recap This past January, a group of music directors and their guests joined the Encore staff in London, England, for Prelude 2024. This was an unforgettable weekend filled with exclusive, behind-the-scenes events, wonderful musical performances, fabulous culinary treats, and so much more. Thanks to all of this year’s attendees, and we can’t wait to welcome you to future events! Learn More I have to say that there is nothing like being together with the awesome Encore team and the always incredible group of fellow musicians that make up the Prelude “family”–and I really mean “family”, which it has come to be over the years. We learn, we share, we experience, and we take this back to our respective groups. David V. Gaining insights from the collective wisdom of fellow directors is invaluable. I was able to address two topics that have been problematic from my previous tours. Site inspections are also extremely helpful. A big bonus is that I made new friendships that will continue well beyond Prelude. Paige L. There is nothing quite like being in a roomful of folks who know what it’s like to take a bunch of musicians on tour. Who else really understands that? It was great to hear all the stories and to get the benefit of all that experience. Wendy C. Doing Prelude makes me feel that I’m valued and that the work I do is valuable work. The places we go and what we experience, it’s just first class and I feel first class. And that’s a wonderful feeling. Maria B. Your thoroughly planned weekend made [us] feel like very special guests. You also reminded us how important it is to make sure that music educators must continue to seek out musical experiences and musical moments to enrich our lives. It is through these renewing experiences that will help us continue to motivate and enrich our students’ lives. Gerry D. This is my first Prelude and I’ve really enjoyed meeting other band directors who are also taking their ensembles overseas. Lauren H. How to Qualify Register By: July 15, 2024 October 15, 2024 Number of paying passengers: 20 25 How to Register To register for Prelude, please print and complete the forms below for both you and your companion. When you have finished, please scan and email these forms back to your Program Consultant. We’ll take it from there! Prelude Registration Form Prelude Companion Registration Form Note: All registration forms must be submitted no later than September 1, 2024. Prelude is designed by musicians for musicians, and we know you will love it! A maximum of two spots per organization is allowed on our Prelude event. Encore Tours will inform you of any additional costs. Prelude is complementary to ensemble leaders (and one guest) who meet the minimum number of international passengers traveling with Encore Tours needed to qualify. Gateway Cities The following list of gateway cities can be booked for no additional fees. Note: Encore cannot guarantee requests for specific airports where multiple options exist, such as New York City’s JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Airports. Atlanta, GA Boston, MA Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH Dallas, TX Denver, CO Detroit, MI Houston, TX Kansas City, MO Los Angeles, CA Miami, FL Minneapolis, MN New York, NY Orlando, FL Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ Pittsburgh, PA Portland, OR Raleigh, NC Salt Lake City, UT San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA St. Louis, MO Tampa, FL Washington, DC