Dear SHS Music Department Students and Parents:

Thursday, April 3^th (Updated!) 7:30pm

SHS Instrumental Music Room (MO1)

Tour 2009 Parent/Student Meeting

On behalf of our department, I would like to invite you to the exciting kick-off meeting for our Summer 2009 Tour.  The SHS Music Department embarks on a major tour once every three years, and 2009 is the year scheduled.  Currently our ensembles (tour band, tour orchestra, tour choir) have been accepted to the following festivals:

1. Vienna Youth in Music Festival:  Vienna, Austria

2. Interlaaken International Music Festival:  Interlaaken Switzerland

3. Mid-Europe Music Festival:  Schladming, Austria

The tour has us departing 7 July 2009 and returning approximately 17 July 2009.  All students enrolled in band, orchestra, choir during the 2008-2009 school year are eligible.  We will also plan to have a “shadow tour” for parents and families that may be interested in traveling, but no necessarily as chaperones. 

Please come to this kick-off meeting for the details of the tour.  As a department we believe educational travel, particularly in music ensembles, can be one of the most invaluable experiences during high school.  Particularly this week, as the New York Philharmonic has broken what once seemed to be an unbreakable barrier, it is also a reminder of music standing as a unifying and international language. 

Best Wishes,

Michael Boitz, Chair

Saratoga High School VPA Department