If you’re a music educator fresh out of school or have questions about implementing full band trips, read Andrew M. Yaracs’ book. “Travel 101: A Band Director’s Guide for Planning Student Travel.”
During his years as a teacher, Yaracs took dozens of trips, including two to the Tournament of Roses Parade and two to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. When he began receiving calls from other educators interested in similar trips, he decided to write this book.
“The target audience is the young music teachers coming out of music schools,” Yaracs says. “They never talk about any of this in methods class. Every music ensemble is going to travel, even just to a football game.”
The book outlines the benefits of travel, how to put together a budget, facts about safety, how to supervise students and tips for the performance itself. “A lot of the things I talk about are safety, security and chaperoning your students,” Yaracs says. “Those are things they don’t talk about on travel websites. This is a band director’s perspective on how to deal with a travel company.”
Yaracs also goes over how to put together professional portfolios for major events like the Tournament of Roses.
Yaracs’ book is available on the website www.authorhouse.com and from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble for $14.95 or as an e-book for $3.99.
