Important Forms and Handouts

Tour Repertoire Order

Tour Handbook

Emergency Contact and Hotel Information

Watch the Bon Voyage Concert!

Packing List

Tour Itinerary – Updated May 2024

Notes from May 19 Parent Meeting

Tee-Shirt Order Form – due June 7
Every person going on the tour is required to have a tour tee-shirt!

Preferred Roommate Request Form – due June 14. This form should be filled out by the student going on tour.

Instructions for the Preferred Roommate Request Form:
This form is for students going on the tour and should be filled out by the student. You have the opportunity to select a preferred roommate for tour hotels. YOBC staff will make every effort to honor your request, but it will not always be possible for you to room with your preferred roommate. Thank you in advance for understanding and flexibility. In general, you can expect the following:

When students are assigned two to a room, you will usually be assigned your preferred roommate.

When students are assigned four to a room, you will usually be grouped with your preferred roommate and two other students.

Unfortunately, when students are assigned three to a room, it may not always be possible to group you with your preferred roommate. In these cases, YOBC staff will assign roommates.

Selecting Your Preferred Roommate

1. Make sure to check with the person you are selecting as your roommate before you fill out the roommate form.
2. Both roommates must fill out separate forms and must request each other in order to be considered.
3. Submit your preferred roommate form as soon as possible but no later than Friday June 14^th. Changes and additional requests for preferred roommates cannot be made after that date. Students who have not submitted this form by the due date will be assigned a roommate by the tour administrator.

Background Clearances needed for all adult tour participants:

All adults traveling on the tour need to have a PA Criminal History Clearance and a PA Child Abuse Clearance, dated within the last 5 years. If you have already have these clearances, please email them to Erica at estockton@yobc.org

If you do not have clearances, please use the links below to obtain them. They are easy to apply for, and free of charge as long as you select that you need them for volunteer purposes.

PA Child Abuse History Clearance:  Click here

PA Criminal History Record Check: Click here

If you have already submitted clearances to YOBC for liaison or Board service purposes, you do not need to resubmit them.

Tour Medical Forms

Tour Health Form And Release
Tour Health Form and Release is required for ALL students traveling with the tour group
Parents/Guardians and/or other travelers may submit this form if you would like the medical personnel on tour to have access to this information

Dietary Needs Form
This form is required for all persons traveling with the tour group.
Please complete a separate form for each family member traveling with the tour

Administration of Students’ Prescribed Medication Form
This form is required for all students traveling with the tour group
Please complete a separate form for each YOBC student traveling with the tour
 

Other Tour Forms

Passport Log Form – Due ASAP

Instrument Registry Form – Due ASAP (cellists do not need to fill this out)

Tour Overview

• Tour dates: July 8 – 18, 2024
• Air Travel:  non-stop flights JFK to Milan
• Participation in four concerts/international music festivals
• Recreation (with students in mind) including a beach day, cultural tours/sightseeing, and a farewell dinner

Tour Rehearsal Dates

Friday April 26^th  2024 – Tour Soiree/First rehearsal: 5:00 – 9:15pm

Sunday May 19^th -Tour Rehearsal, 1:00 – 5:15
Parent Meeting at 1:15pm – required for all parents of tour participants

Sunday June 9: – Tour Rehearsal 1:00 – 5:15
Parent/Student Joint Meeting at 4:00pm – required for all parents of tour participants

Friday July 5: Tour Rehearsal 5:45 – 10:00
Chaperone Training – for all parents coming on tour

Saturday July 6: Tour Rehearsal 5:45 – 10:00
Chaperone Training – for all parents coming on tour

Sunday July 7: Tour Rehearsal 1:00 – 3:30, Bon Voyage Concert 4:00pm

Package Inclusions

• Round trip airfare
• Two meals a day – usually breakfast and dinner (drinks with meals not included)
• Two tour buses, and 1 van for the instruments. 
• Bilingual tour manager and driver on each bus
• Double/triples/quads for students; Double occ. for adults (single room upgrade fee)
• Educational, cultural, musical, recreational activities and entrance fees
• Trip insurance is not included in the package; YOBC strongly recommends participants purchase trip insurance
• No deviations from the tour package can be allowed

Tour Package Cost

Musician Rate (Current students and alumni): $3,500

Non-Musician Rate (parents, siblings, family): $4,200

 
Who Is Eligible?

• YOBC students who are in Symphony Orchestra, Concert Winds, Wind Ensemble, Philharmonia, and Ripieno are eligible.
• YOBC Alumni are invited to join the tour!
• Parents and family members.  Younger siblings accompanying parents may qualify to perform with the tour ensemble pending an audition with Mr. Loughran.
• Preference for space will go to students (over parents/siblings), and additional preference will go to ensure instrumental balance, and to early registrants.

Parent Tour Participation

• All adults participating in the tour must serve as volunteer chaperones for part of the trip
• We will take applications for 5 adults willing to function as overnight security chaperones. Tour discounts will be available for these positions. Please contact Erica Stockton (estockton@yobc.org)

Handout from 9/24/23 Informational Meeting

How Do I Join?

• Fill out the Online Tour Application
• Submit your Tour Deposit by October 31, 2023

Paying for the Tour

Limited Financial Aid is available for students with demonstrated need. Aid will be decided upon the basis of need on the part of both the student and YOBC touring ensemble. Please fill out the tour financial aid request form by 10/31/23 to be considered

Tour Payments can be made in installments according to the schedule below. Please make tour payments by check, written to “YOBC” with the the student/family name and ‘tour payment’ written on the memo line. Checks should be mailed to the YOBC office: 111 Pheasant Run, Suite 100, Newtown PA 18940

Installment Payment Schedule:

$100pp Initial Tour Deposit – Due October 31, 2023

*this deposit needs to be received to confirm your seat on the tour

First Installment:         November 1, 2023 ($1,000/pp, refundable)

Second Installment:    January 15, 2024 ($1,000/pp, refundable)

Third Installment:       February 15, 2024 ($1,000/pp or remainder of student price)

Fourth Installment:     March 15, 2024 (Final payment amount +/- any fundraising and chaperone credit adjustments)

Fundraising:  YOBC will provide fundraising opportunities for students/parents to help pay for their trip. If you are interested in helping to plan fundraising, have ideas to share, or are interested in being the committee head for tour fundraising, please contact Erica Stockton at estockton@yobc.org 

Leadership

Tour Planning Committee

You can help us make this a great tour by joining the Tour Planning Committee. The committee is comprised of parents, the tour directors (Monica and Gerardo Konig), and YOBC staff.  The committee will meet regularly during YOBC rehearsals and/or online to give input and plan the tour in areas including procedures, security & safety, tour publicity, social events, financial recordkeeping and producing a tour handbook.  Meeting times will be announced via email and posted on the YOBC website.  Please indicate on the application form if you are interested in joining the Tour Planning Committee. Tour Committee members volunteer in the following areas:

Communication

All tour information will be posted on the tour page of the YOBC website. Please check the website regularly for updated information.   Communication will be conducted via email.    Please make sure that the primary email and student email addresses you designate on the tour application are addresses that you regularly monitor.  
 

Passports  

All tour participants must have passport/visa which is valid through 6 months after the end of the tour.   Passport application and renewal can take time. Start now to make sure you have a valid passport for the tour.

Apply for or renew passports:   http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/apply.html

COVID-19 Concerns and Vaccinations:

We understand that we live in uncertain times. The YOBC Staff and Tour Directors will be consistently evaluating safety measures and trends for all of our upcoming tours. We will communicate any changes or decisions to you via email.