Encore Tours Instagram Takeover – Maggie Goes to Italy!

Tour Consultant Maggie Rodriguez will soon be taking off for an exciting 10 day trip to Italy! She’ll be meeting up with Encore groups, eating some amazing Italian food, checking out gorgeous performance venues, and documenting her travels on Instagram! Read our Q&A with Maggie to learn more about her and her upcoming adventure.

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What is your role at Encore Tours?

Maggie: My role currently revolves around being a program consultant for directors. I communicate with them throughout the entirety of their journey – from choosing where to take their ensemble to checking in with them during their tour – to help provide the experience they’ve been envisioning for their group. It’s really rewarding to see a dream turn into a reality!

Why are you traveling to Italy?

Maggie: I’ll be checking out our tour venues, familiarizing myself with the country, and attending some group performances! When we travel to see our groups in action, we not only get to experience the wonderful music our ensembles make in gorgeous locations, but also obtain expert knowledge about venues so we can advise future directors on what would be best for their group. 

What cities will you be traveling to?

Maggie: Venice, Florence, Cremona, Rome, and some surrounding cities.

What are you most excited to see?

Maggie: I’ve been reading a book on Ancient Rome, so I’m excited to see what still exists and have a bit of working knowledge about it. However, it’s been a lifelong dream of mine to see Venice, so I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t most excited for its white peach sunsets! I’m also looking forward to seeing one of our Encore groups perform a joint concert in the Museo del Violino in Cremona.

Why do you think it’s important to travel abroad, especially for directors and their musicians?

Maggie: I think it’s extremely important! Traveling abroad gives you the perspective of where the music you perform was written and shows you how inspiration fosters masterpieces.

What do you love most about traveling as a musician and performing?

Maggie: The acoustics. My voice sounds 40 times better with some surrounding stones. Plus, to perform in the spaces that composers also did gives me music geek goosebumps!

What can folks expect from your Instagram takeover in Italy?

Maggie: Shots of everything! From the city views, to meals, to ancient venues. I’m going to try to show as much of the experience as possible. My main goal, other than capturing what a director and their group might experience in Italy, is to show the unique performance spaces that Encore offers. Concerts are typically later in the evening (starting around 9:00 pm) but the benefits of losing a bit of sleep are massive. We understand the cultures of the places we travel to and that is one of the reasons why Encore Tours groups always have successful performances!