THE COSTA RICA/USA BAND FESTIVAL

Transcription

1 TOUR PROSPECTUS THE COSTA RICA/USA BAND FESTIVAL with Matthew George Artistic Director JUNE 2014 Your World of Music

2 With MATTHEW GEORGE with Costa Rica TABLE OF CONTENTS Destination Leader Itinerary... 3 Package Details Travel Insurance Plan Producers

3 DESTINATION Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of plants and animals. While the country has only about 0.25% of the world s landmass, it contains 5% of the world s biodiversity. Around 25% of the country s land area is in protected national parks and protected areas, the largest percentage of protected areas in the world. Costa Rica has many kinds of music. Most of the music and representative folklore comes from the north of the country, including the Nicoya Peninsula (Mayan culture) and the Atlantic coast (Afro- Caribbean culture). Costa Rican music is marked by a rhythm known as tambito as well a distinctive musical genre known as punto. Two examples are the punto guanacasteco from Guanacaste Province, and the sancarleño from San Carlos in Alajuela Province with Matthew George 1

4 LEADER Matthew George Faculty Chair and Director of Bands University of St. Thomas Matthew J. George is currently Professor of Music, Director of Bands and Chair of the Department of Music at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is active as a conductor and clinician/lecturer which have taken him across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, continental Europe, Ireland and the UK, Australia, Japan, China, Brazil and Argentina. He maintains a busy conducting schedule in both professional and educational settings, and is currently Music Director of Grand Symphonic Winds. He is also the founder and past Music Director of the Banda Sinfonica at the Escuela Nacional de Musica in Mexico City, Mexico. Appearing as a guest conductor throughout the world, he regularly works with professional orchestras and bands, as well as festival groups of all ages. Some such groups include the Brazilian Wind Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Guanajuato (Mexico), the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain, Queensland Conservatorium Wind Symphony (Australia), Birmingham Symphonic Winds (UK), the Banda de Bilbao Musika (Spain) and the Band of the People s Liberation Army (China). Dr. George regularly leads his ensembles to performances at major music conferences including those for the Minnesota Music Educators Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the Music Educators National Association and The Midwest Clinic. He has led his ensembles on performance tours throughout the United States and abroad, having performed in such venues as the Sydney Opera House (Australia), in the National Theatres of Mexico, Cuba and Costa Rica, The National Center of Performing Arts (The Egg ) in China as well as some of the finest concert halls in Japan and Italy. Live national radio broadcasts include appearances on National Public Radio (US), IMER (National Mexican Radio) and the Australia Broadcast Company. His ensembles have also appeared on PBS television in the United States. Under his direction, the UST Symphonic Wind Ensemble appears on the Innova record label, distributed by Naxos, with three compact discs - Road to the Stars, Out of Nowhere, and, From All Sides. Active as a clinician and lecturer, Dr. George regularly appears at music conferences throughout the world, such as The Midwest Clinic, speaking on subjects of conducting pedagogy, the performance of wind literature and commissioning new music. He is sought internationally to sit on adjudication panels and has done so for such events as the National Concert Band Festival of Great Britain, The Chinese National Band Festival, the Shanghai International Music Festival and the Certamen de Valencia in Spain. Dedicated to the creation of new works for wind band, his credits of commissioned works by prolific national and international composers number near seventy. THE COSTA RICA/USA BAND FESTIVAL 2

5 ITINERARY ARENAL/SAN JOSÉ Monday, June 9 Depart U.S.A Arrive in Juan Santamaría International Airport, San José Meet KIconcerts Tour Manager Travel to Arenal Lunch Check into our hotel Overnight Arenal Tuesday, June 10 Breakfast (daily) Visit Arenal Hanging Bridges. Walk right into the forest bringing you close to the birds, the flowers and the lush vegetation of the primary rain forest Combined ensemble rehearsal Overnight Arenal Wednesday, June 11 Guided walking tour to La Fortuna Waterfall. Walk through the rain forest and see an amazing Waterfall, which is 70 meters high. At the base of the Waterfall, there is a clean natural pool for soaking/swimming Lunch Transfer to San José Overnight San José Thursday, June 12 Visit the National Conservatory/interaction with the Costa Rica Band Association (tbd) Clinics with faculty/composers (tbd) Combined band rehearsal Individual concert/exchanges Overnight San José with Matthew George 3

6 ITINERARY Friday, June 13 City tour of San José Dress rehearsal Festival Concert I (for instance at the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles tbd) Overnight San José Saturday, June 14 Visit coffee plantation and enjoy a Doka Coffee tour Festival Concert II (for instance at the National Theater) Farewell dinner Overnight San José Sunday, June 15 Depart for home or continue to Tamarindo **Itinerary subject to change. **Confirmation of performances is dependent upon early receipt of performance information: biographies, pictures, recordings and repertoire THE COSTA RICA/USA BAND FESTIVAL 4

7 ITINERARY TAMARINDO Sunday, June 15 Depart for Tamarindo, a town located on the Northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica Enjoy boat tour to Palo Verde Wildlife Refuge, one of the most important and interesting National Parks in Costa Rica. It has at least 12 different habitats within the park including: mangroves, swamps, forests, saltwater and freshwater lagoons and marshes. See array of wild birds and a myriad of creatures such as howler monkeys, green iguanas and coatis, anteaters and crocodiles Lunch Check in Overnight Tamarindo Monday, June 16 Explore Tamarindo beach, with excellent waves near the mouth of the estuary Optional activities including watching turtles during their nesting season at night, diving, snorkeling, body surfing, zip-lining, estuary trips, horseback riding and fishing (not included) Overnight Tamarindo Tuesday, June 17 Depart for home **Itinerary subject to change. **Confirmation of performances is dependent upon early receipt of performance information: biographies, pictures, recordings and repertoire with Matthew George 5

8 TRAVEL INSURANCE PLAN KIconcerts announces expanded coverage & new lower premiums to increase your travel protection The coverage in the policy is set out fully in the full Travel Insurance Certificate that can be seen online at or that KIconcerts can send you. SOME HIGHLIGHTS: CANCEL FOR ANY REASON BENEFIT If You cancel Your Trip for any reason not otherwise covered by this policy, We will reimburse You for 75% of the unused non-refundable prepaid expenses for Travel Arrangements You paid for Your Trip, provided: 1) payment for this plan is received by KIconcerts within 14 days of Your initial deposit/payment for Your Trip; and 2) You cancel Your Trip two (2) days or more before your Scheduled Trip Departure Date. This Cancel For Any Reason Benefit does not cover: 1) penalties associated with any air or other travel arrangements not provided by KIconcerts; or 2) the failure of KIconcerts to provide the bargained-for Travel Arrangements due to cessation of operations for any reason. OTHER REASONS FOR CANCELLATION If you cancel your Trip for a covered reason, you will be reimbursed for the amount of the unused non-refundable prepaid expenses for Travel Arrangements you paid for your Trip. They will pay your additional cost as a result of a change in the per person occupancy rate for prepaid travel arrangements if a Traveling Companion s Trip is canceled for a covered reason and your Trip is not canceled. TRIP INTERRUPTION The company will pay benefits if you have to interrupt your trip for covered reasons TRAVEL DELAY If your trip is delayed for 12 hours or more for covered reasons, the company will reimburse you up to $150 per day up to a maximum of $750 for reasonable accommodation expenses incurred by you for hotels, meals, telephone calls and local transportation while you are delayed. Subject to certain conditions, the company will reimburse you, less any amount paid or payable from any other valid and collectible insurance or indemnity, up to $1,500 for direct loss, theft, damage or destruction of your Baggage, passports or visas during your Trip. The company will reimburse you, less any amount paid or payable from any other valid and collectible insurance or indemnity, up to $150 per day to a maximum of $300, for the cost of reasonable additional clothing and personal articles purchased by you, if your Baggage is delayed for 24 hours or more during your Trip. THE COSTA RICA/USA BAND FESTIVAL 8

9 TRAVEL INSURANCE PLAN MEDICAL EXPENSE/EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE Accidental Death and Dismemberment $25,000 Medical Expense/Emergency Assistance Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses $25,000 Emergency Medical Evacuation $50,000 Repatriation of Remains Included WAIVER OF THE PRE-EXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSION The Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion is waived if payment for this plan is received by KIconcerts within 14 days of your initial deposit/payment for your Trip. Please Note: This policy may not be purchased after you have made final payment for your Trip. ONE CALL A 24-hour worldwide service for medical emergencies, transmitting emergency messages, arranging emergency cash transfer, replacing lost travel documents including tickets and passports. CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS Certain exclusions and limitations apply and are detailed in the Travel Insurance Certificate. For example, coverage does not apply to: any Sickness or condition of you, a Traveling Companion or an Immediate Family Member traveling with you that existed during the 60 days prior to the effective date of the coverages (this exclusion is waived if your premium is received within 14 days of your initial deposit/payment for your Trip.). COVERED EVENTS Other Covered Reasons, as defined, includes the following events or their consequences: Cancellation or Interruption of your Trip due to: Inclement Weather, unannounced Strike, mechanical breakdown that causes complete cessation of services of Your Common Carrier for at least 12 consecutive hours; a documented traffic accident while enroute to departure; being hijacked or quarantined; jury duty; destruction of your home or destination by fire, flood, burglary or natural disaster; being called to the emergency service of government to provide aid or relief in the event of a natural disaster; a documented theft of passports or visas or a transfer of employment of 250 miles or more; Involuntary Job Termination (must be employed with same employer for 1 year); a Terrorist Incident which occurs in your departure city which is a scheduled destination for your Trip provided the Terrorist Incident occurs within 30 days prior to the Scheduled Departure Date for your Trip or Revocation of military leave due to war. The Travel Protection Plan is underwritten by: US Fire Insurance Company, Eatontown, NJ. Benefits are administered by: Trip Mate, Inc.* 9225 Ward Parkway, Suite 200, Kansas City, Missouri, 64114, (*In CA, dba Trip Mate Insurance Agency). KIconcerts Plan F390v with Matthew George 9

10 PRODUCERS For over 30 years, KIconcerts (Kingsway International) has provided Choirs and instrumental ensembles with affordable and unforgettable international and domestic custom tours and festivals. KIconcerts combines unique destinations, awe-inspiring venues, warm audiences with renowned composers, educators, conductors and musicians. Together with our talented local concert tour organizers we facilitate a deep sharing of culture the essence of performance travel. Performance travel has always presented challenges requiring a myriad of details to combine in order for life changing magical musical moments to occur. This has never been truer than today. KI looks to partner with you in managing these challenges in new and creative ways. Our recent clients have shared their views on our tours have a look at Centennial Boulevard, Suite 202 Colorado Springs, CO P: F: info@kiconcerts.com