In July/August 2026, YOBC students can join a 10-day concert tour to France. In addition to performing at 4 international concert venues, students and families will take part in sight-seeing, guided tours, and other activities. International touring provides students with unforgettable educational and cultural experiences as well as life-long friendships and memories! This information is intended to give you a general idea of what to expect on our 2026 France tour. Once concert venues are confirmed, further sightseeing and cultural aspects of the tour itinerary will be finalized.

Tour applications are now open! The deadline to apply for the tour is September 25, 2025.

Preliminary Tour Itinerary – updated January 2025

Handout from January 12th Tour Meeting

Tour Application and Deposit Form ($200pp)

Tour Overview

• Tentative tour dates are July 27th, 2026 – August 5th, 2026.
• Air Travel:  non-stop flights from Newark or 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

Tour Rehearsals do not happen within the usual YOBC rehearsal time. We will publish a separate rehearsal schedule far in advance. What you can expect is one rehearsal per month in April 2026, May 2026, and June 2026, and then a more intensive week of 3 consecutive rehearsal days before departure.

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

The costs provided below may change somewhat due to fluctuations in the Euro and the airfare. Final airfare cost will be established in September 2025.

YOBC Student Musicians and alumni: $3,800
Adults/family members/non-musicians: $4,400

 
Who Is Eligible?

• YOBC students who are in Symphony Orchestra, Concert Winds, Wind Ensemble, Philharmonia, and Ripieno for the 25-26 season 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. Grand
• 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)

How Do I Join?

• Fill out the Online Tour Application – Tour Application and Deposit Form ($200pp)
• Submit your $200/person Tour Deposit with your online application

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. A financial aid request form will be made available when the tour applications open.

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:

• The 4-installment payment schedule is below. Payments should be made by check payable to “YOBC”
  • First Installment: April 15, 2025 ($1,000/pp, refundable)
  • Second Installment: July 15, 2025 ($1,000/pp, refundable)
  • Third Installment: October 15, 2025 ($1,000/pp)
  • Fourth Installment: January 15, 2026 (Remaining costs due)

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.