Far beyond the classroom walls, you’ll find a thriving music culture that will inspire and excite your students, fuelling their artistic passion and zeal for performing. An international music tour packs a significant punch in terms of student development, providing opportunities for personal and social growth in addition to the musical and performance development one would expect from a music tour.
Students participate in workshops with leading musicians, experience the thrill of performing for new audiences on world-stages, and take part in immersive learning and cultural activities. They hone their skills, build confidence, strengthen the bond they share with classmates/ensemble—and above all become global citizens with greater cultural awareness.
Here are 5 reasons why you should take your students on an international music tour of a lifetime.
Students develop their soft skills
Students who participate in an international music tour or festival become more organised, independent, confident, responsible, creative, and collaborative as they are taken out of their comfort zone and experience a new environment.
As a conductor, composer and music educator with over 40 years experience across the globe, David Slater shares the personal development that occurs on tour:
“In this way participating in a tour which includes international music festivals provides opportunities for growth in personal confidence and responsibility that simply cannot happen in the classroom, and more often than not in any of the usual activities of an Australian school. Add to this the opportunity to gain a global understanding that is not just from a book, and you can ask for little more.”
Gain confidence musically
Music tours provide ensembles with many more opportunities to perform compared to what is provided in a typical school year. This is especially true for those who participate in an International Youth Music Festival like Rhapsody Rotorua, Summa Cum Laude or Bratislava. Students perform in front of unfamiliar audiences in new environments, challenging themselves and building confidence in the process. They see and hear the performances of a broad range of other young ensembles from around the world, all factors contributing to their own musical growth and development.
David is also a workshop conductor in several youth music festivals including SCL Festival and praises students’ musical development after completing a music tour. He says, “I see ensembles and individuals discover new possibilities in the interpretation of their repertoire, new approaches to making a unified sound, and the opportunity for every individual to feel as though their contribution is essential to the success of the performance.”
Expand horizons and become globally aware
There is little or no opportunity to truly experience the international level of music in Australia. On tour, students experience music in places like Vienna and Salzburg, where music and musical traditions are highly esteemed as a central and important part of life. At the same time, our students as young Australians share their unique understanding of music and the unique Australian musical repertoire with fellow musicians from other countries and cultures.
Students perform on world-stages
See and perform in the places which supported the creation of many of the greatest masterpieces of Western Art Music. From the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna where the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performs, to the world-famous Carnegie Hall also known as America’s greatest stage.
Moments that inspire a career in music
On tour, students are constantly challenged. They gain deeper insights, they become powerfully inspired and motivated to create and perform or even further their studies in music when they return home. David shares some of the moments on tour where students become musically inspired,
“I definitely saw young people grow in ways that were both unexpected and exciting. Many who first toured in Year 7 were inspired to continue studying music all the way to Year 12. Most worked harder in their personal practice to maintain the standards they achieved on tour and went on to do remarkable things as soloists and ensemble members. A lot more than I would expect went on to tertiary music study as performers, composers, music educators and music administrators. Many of these are now in important positions in orchestras and arts organisations around Australia and the world!”
If you’re ready to plan an international music adventure for your students, contact us today!
About WorldStrides Performing Arts Tours
Fuel the passion of aspiring artists with WorldStrides’ world-class performing arts programs for music, dance and drama students. We organise exclusive tours to youth music festivals and prestigious theatre and dance workshops where students work with world-renowned conductors, adjudicators, and choreographers to enhance their skills, learn new techniques, and perform on storied stages across the globe.
About David Slater
This article was written in collaboration with David Slater; conductor, composer and music educator with over 40 years of experience. David studied composition with Peter Sculthorpe and Ross Edwards in Australia and on scholarship in Germany with Helmut Lachenmann, Brian Ferneyhough and Cristobal Hallfter and has twice been shortlisted for Australia’s richest composition prize. David has lectured at the Australian National University School of Music and been a Director of Music at several prestigious Australian colleges. He is a juror and workshop lecturer at many international music festivals and represents Australia on the World Choir Council.
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