Posted by former band mom on June 01, 2003 at 16:12:19:
In Reply to: extravagant student ensemble trips posted by js on June 01, 2003 at 13:09:25:
Having helped organize one of these mega-trips for our incompetent director, I can say "Never again!" My kids loved it for different reasons - the tubist, the musical experience of playing with pros at Disney World - the guard captain, the insanity of unchecked raging hormones colliding for 5 straight days and nights. (She didn't know I was watching her door all night and strategically placed the drummers on a different floor!) The way I saw it, the parents did it for their kids, the directors did it for praise from their principals (however undeserved, a trophy or plaque always looks impressive), the tour directors did it for the money and the vacation, and the kids did it to get out of school for a week. MUSIC didn't factor in at all - it was just a perk on the side! Packing was tedious, scheduling was time-consuming and ignored, uptight parents collided with low-maintenance types, and let's face it Florida is miserable in May or June! But every 4 years a new set of proud parents comes in and tries it again.