Michigan All Stars of Music FAQ’s
Who is eligible for the All Stars of Music Program?
Students who have finished grades 9-12 at the time of the trip in Summer 2025 (Current 8-11 grade students). Nominations are made by students’ music teachers.
How often do students perform and in what types of venues will they take place?
Students will perform in London, Paris and Munich. Venues will be determined based on ensemble size and conductor decisions of repertoire.
WILL BAND, CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA STUDENTS TRAVEL TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY? WILL FAMILIES TRAVEL WITH STUDENTS?
Whenever possible, we will travel together, but there will be times throughout the tour when we will split off in smaller groups to manage our crowd size. This depends on the venue and the number of students and families that are in attendance.
What is the deadline for registration?
The deadline for 2025 registration is end of June, 2024 to guarantee your trip price. Specific details will be announced in the spring of 2024.
Is there a payment plan?
Yes! Guardian asks for a $500 initial deposit. Starting August 1, 2024 and ending March 1, 2025, you will be billed a prorated amount for your student. Automatic transfer of funds is available for your convenience.
What is the teacher to student ratio?
We are committed to a 10 to 1 student to teacher ratio on this tour.
Can a student room with their parent or guardian?
As educators, we know that there is great potential for social growth for students on this tour. We encourage students to room with other students. If they become overwhelmed by anxiety during the trip and want to spend a night with a family member, that is possible as long as there is good communication with trip leaders.
What kind of accommodations should our students and families expect throughout the trip? Can students request specific roommates? How many students will be in a room?
European hotels are smaller and not as fancy as American hotels. What we are used to state-side would cost more than double in Europe. The hotels are nice, clean, and safe. Accommodations will be double or triple occupancy based on hotel availability in each room. Our staff will take requests in advance, but final decision on rooming will be up to staff discretion and may change based on each hotel availability.
Are there refrigerators in hotel rooms
Typically no. They can be requested, but it cannot always be accommodated.
What Insurance or Trip Protection is available? Is it included in the pricing?
Post-Departure Insurance is included in every purchase. The Trip Protection Plan is an additional cost and provides trip refunds in the case of a cancellation.
I’d like to learn more about the extension.
The extension is an optional opportunity for students/families to travel for an extra 7 days and it will include Vienna, Prague and extra time in Germany. The registration materials will be a part of the main registration. Students will not perform on the extension.
Will the friends and family performance at the pre-departure camp be live-streamed?
No, this performance will not be live-streamed due to copyright law.
When will students receive their music? Will we meet before the camp for logistics or music learning?
Students will receive their music prior to camp with an expectation that they learn their notes and rhythms before they attend the camp. There will be one pre-camp rehearsal in April, date TBA. Informational emails will be sent regularly with at least one pre-camp meeting one month prior to the first day of camp.
Will travelers need a passport? What do you recommend for payment options while in Europe?
Passports and Visitor Visas will be required. Passports need to be valid at least 6 months post-trip date. As far as payment options, we recommend a combination of cash and credit/debit. Many credit cards and debit cards waive international fees. Check with your financial institution for confirmation. We highly recommend bringing a Visa as it is the most widely accepted credit card worldwide. For those bringing cash, please exchange at your US bank as the airport exchange rates are more costly.
Can you touch upon the key points, in your opinion, that set All-Stars of Music and Guardian Travel Group apart from other tours and tour companies?
Guardian has staff in Europe to assist in all areas of our trips and runs every aspect of the trip themselves. We do not work with destination management companies which allows us to control all trip elements and guarantee that all vendors and trip elements are up to our standards.
IS THE TRIP ACCESSIBLE FOR THOSE WITH MOBILITY OR PHYSICAL DISABILITY?
Yes, but with limitations. We can have wheelchair accessible buses, if needed. Please understand that accessibility in Europe is drastically different than the United States. There are less accommodations in areas that will be a part of our tour. There are cobblestone streets, narrow doorways and stairs with no optional elevator. Also, it's important to know that we walk between 15,000-20,000 steps per day. Please let us know at registration if you need accessibility accommodations for your participation. There are some potential trip elements, like ascending Mt. Pilatus, that could be more challenging, but that is an optional activity.
