How It Works

From your first call to your final encore —
here's how we make it happen.

Every tour is different. But the process that makes them extraordinary is the same.

The Process

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Share your vision

Let’s talk travel! No pressure, no obligation. Tell us where you're dreaming of, when you’d like to go, and the kind of experience you want for your ensemble. We’ll listen, ask questions, and start shaping something unforgettable.

1

We’ll design your custom itinerary

From performance venues and hotels to transportation, meals, and meaningful cultural experiences, every detail is thoughtfully tailored to your group’s size, schedule, and musical goals.

2

We’ll help you bring your group together

We don’t just plan your tour, we help you get people excited about it. An MCI representative can visit your community to present the trip, share materials, and lead a full Q&A, so you don’t have to do it alone.

3

Your travelers enroll and pay online

Your group gets a custom website built exclusively for your trip. Travelers use it to register, make payments, access the itinerary, and get excited about the destination. You share one link, and we handle the rest.

4

Directors preview the destination

On select programs, we invite you to visit your destination approximately six months before departure. Meet festival organizers, preview venues, hotels, and restaurants, and talk through repertoire as you get a feel for what’s ahead.

5

Your tour manager handles everything on the ground

A dedicated MCI tour manager accompanies your group throughout the entire trip, handling logistics, hotel check-ins, and schedule adjustments so you can stay focused on your performance.

6

You perform, explore, and make memories

One day it’s rehearsal halls and world-class stages, the next it’s cathedrals, cafés, and unexpected discoveries along the way. This is the kind of experience your ensemble will remember long after the final performance.

Tour Promotion

We help you sell the trip

Filling a group tour can be one of the toughest parts of the process, and you shouldn’t have to do it alone.

We’ll come to your community and present the trip directly to your group members and their supporters. We bring brochures, posters, and destination handouts, and walk everyone through the experience in detail. We break down the itinerary, explain registration and travel logistics, and lead a full Q&A session so everyone feels confident moving forward.

By the time we leave, your group is informed, excited, and ready—and you haven’t had to spend an evening building presentations.

What We Provide

  • In-person presentation to your group
  • Custom brochures and promotional materials
  • Destination handouts and itinerary copies
  • Q&A covering registration, flights, and logistics
  • Follow-up support materials

Traveler's Resource Site

You share one link, we handle the rest.

Once registered, your group gets a custom website built exclusively for your trip. Everything your travelers need lives in one place.

Online Registration & Payment

Travelers enroll and make payments through a secure portal. It’s simple, streamlined, and eliminates the need for checks, spreadsheets, and endless reminders.

Itinerary & Maps

The full itinerary, destination maps, and essential travel details are all accessible in one place at any time, for every traveler.

Trip Highlights

Photos, venue previews, and destination spotlights get your group excited for what's ahead.

Concert Venues

Stages your ensemble will never forget

MCI’s established relationships with choir organizations and local partners around the world allow your ensemble to perform in remarkable venues chosen for their acoustics, setting, and cultural significance.

Vienna City Hall
Melk Abbey
Salzburg Cathedral
St. Peter's Basilica
St. Roch Church, Paris
Coutances Cathedral
Gran Guardia Theater
Kraków Philharmonic

Director Benefit

Complimentary Orientation Trips

On select programs, we invite directors to visit their group destination free of charge, approximately six months before departure.

Meet festival organizers. Preview your performance venues, hotels, and restaurants. Discuss repertoire and logistics face to face. Walk the streets your ensemble will walk so when you arrive with your group, you know exactly what to expect.

What's Included

  • Round-trip airfare
  • Hotel accommodations
  • Ground transportation
  • Venue previews and meetings
  • Meals during the trip

For School Directors

Traveling with students

Parent Communication

Our in-person presentations help take the pressure off your shoulders by addressing key parent questions around safety, logistics, and cost so families feel informed and confident.

Fundraising Support

We provide guidance on fundraising strategies that have worked for other groups in similar situations.

Chaperone Logistics

We help you plan appropriate chaperone ratios and integrate them into the tour itinerary.

School Board Approval

We can provide supporting materials, documentation, and references to help you present your proposal to school administration.

Safety & Emergency Protocols

Your tour manager is trained in emergency procedures and is on call 24/7 throughout every tour.

Age-Appropriate Itineraries

Every itinerary is thoughtfully designed around your students’ ages and needs, from pacing and activities to performances.

“You designed a beautiful tour, no, a brilliant tour in every way. Bravo! It was such a pleasure to meet you and have you as our guide and spiritual leader. Over the years, I've been on several college choir tours with the H-SC group, England, France, Italy, but this was the high point. It was my first experience with a Latin culture, and I was unexpectedly very moved by it, not just the music-making (the other choirs were superb) but the cultural experience. The half day of community service was such a good and meaningful experience, and the college prides itself on doing a lot of that, so it was very appropriate, and because several members of the group grew up on farms, they knew what to do. You balanced all the activities so well. I never expected to enjoy every minute of it, but I did, and what captured the entire experience for me was the opening Palestrina by the high school choir, a sound twice as big and beautiful than I expected, and I had tears running down my cheeks. That was symptomatic of the entire tour, emotional, poignant, fascinating. I can't imagine a better walking-tour guide than the one we had in Viejo San Juan, and the interactive percussion workshop is one of the best things I've ever experienced. I don't know how you do everything that you do, but thank you for making it such an unforgettable experience.”

— Jim Kidd, Hampton-Sydney College Men's Choir · choir

“I simply love MCI!!!!! Professionalism, Knowledgeable and Care for their groups. The blessed experience of singing in St. Peter's Basilica. Now that was truly Heavenly. I felt like an Angel! My new friend Theri was simply Divine! I thought my life would not be complete without the lovely and talented Paige! Paige, you were right......I love Theri too!!!! Theri was the best!”

— Luanna Lawrence, The Episcopal Chorale Society (Los Angeles, CA) · choir

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Most directors begin planning 12–18 months in advance, though we've worked with shorter timelines. The earlier you start, the more options you have for festival dates and venue availability.
Every tour is custom, so costs vary based on destination, duration, group size, and what you want to include. We'll provide a detailed, transparent quote with no hidden fees. Your quoted price is your final price.
We work with groups of all sizes — from small chamber ensembles to full symphonic choirs with 100+ travelers. Each tour is designed around your specific group.
Yes. We coordinate group flights, manage booking logistics, and handle any changes that come up. It's all part of the package.
Typically: accommodations, ground transportation, meals, concert venues, festival fees, sightseeing, and a dedicated MCI tour manager. We'll outline exactly what's included in your custom proposal.
MCI is the exclusive North American representative for our invitational festivals. We handle the invitation process on your behalf — just tell us which festival interests you and we'll take care of the rest.
Absolutely — many groups do. For example, you might attend a festival in Vienna and then extend your trip with a concert tour through Salzburg. We'll design the combined itinerary seamlessly.

Ready to start planning?

Talk to a tour coordinator — no obligation, no pressure.

Get in Touch

or call 1-800-624-0166