ATA Carnets: Essential for International Touring & the LOAO 2026 National Conference Recap

#ORCH2026 #CarnetIt2026

Call Boomerang Carnets, Your Carnet Specialists

Boomerang carnets® was Silver Sponsor/Exhibitor for the 81^st National League of American Orchestras (LOAO) Conference June 1-3, 2026, in Baltimore, Maryland, hosted by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.  FLOW was the theme, inspired by the city’s dramatic harbor location.  Representing boomerang carnets this year were Marge Walsh, Carnet Specialist and Monika Jadeszko, our newly appointed Chief Operating Officer.

Thanks to Stephen Alter, Director, Conferences and Business Engagement at LOAO for his invaluable assistance and being among the first to stop by our booth on day one.  Welcoming visitors to the “Boomerang Booth” was fun and especially engaging when discussing international tour destinations with the benefits of ATA Carnets.  Our socks giveaways were a hit from the start and on days two and three, we offered both “Socks and Snacks”.

Congratulations to the Boomerang Raffle Winners! 

  Daily Winners each receiving a VISA $50 Gift Card were: 

• Kelly Woodhouse Boston, Senior Director of Operations, Seattle Symphony
• Claire Learned, Operations & Patron Services Coordinator, Lansing Symphony Orchestra

  Grand Prize Winner of the TUMI travel case was:

• Paul Pietrowski, Chief Operating Officer, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Celebrating 16 Years of the Carnets “Play the World” Grant!

We are thrilled to mark the 16th anniversary of our Carnets “Play the World” Grant program—launched in 2010.  This year, we were honored to recognize: 

• Debora Kang, Director of Education, Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
• Rebecca Calos, Executive Director, Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO).  In April 2026, ESYO traveled to Romania to perform at the prestigious World Association for Symphonic Bands & Ensembles (WASBE) International Wind Band Festival.  An additional $250 was included because ESYO received a carnet and bond from us within 12 months of being awarded a Grant.  In 2018, ESYO received a Carnets “Play the World” Grant.  “Thank you so much for awarding Empire State Youth Orchestra a Carnets ‘Play the World’ Grant to assist with our first ever Wind Orchestra Hungary Tour,” Rebecca Calos said at the time, “I truly appreciate your support."
• Angela Chilcott, Managing Director, Orchestra Operations, San Diego Symphony.  Their next tour to the EU & Ireland is already scheduled.

Congratulations, and we look forward to assisting you with your next international tour.

Grant Opportunity!

You can apply for a Carnets “Play the World” Grant that supports LOAO members and eligible members of the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) with their delegate/booking fees to upcoming conferences.  Our Carnets “Play the World” Grants can make all the difference in attending a conference.  Click here to view eligibility criteria, how to apply, with a link to access our easy-to-fill-out Grant Application form for upcoming LOAO and ABO conferences.

National Conference Constituency Meetings for General Managers and Operations were additionally supported by boomerang carnets.

Monika Jadeszko stopped by to say hello and introduce herself to General Managers and Operations Personnel before they began meetings addressing both strategic and operational topics.
 

Our sincere thanks to Simon Woods, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras and the talented team at the League that made this event especially noteworthy.

Boomerang carnets® has proudly supported the orchestra community with ATA Carnet services since 1987 in the U.S. and 2014 in the U.K.  We’ve worked with world-renowned symphonies, acclaimed soloists, and emerging ensembles—ensuring the seamless transport of instruments, equipment, and production gear across international borders. 

Music knows no boundaries, and with an ATA Carnet in hand, neither do the artists who create it.  International orchestral touring is essential to artistic growth, reputation building, and global audience engagement.  Boomerang carnets’ commitment to musicians on world stages was created by the vision of our company’s founder, Bruce A. Wilson, who strongly believed that every orchestra should have the opportunity to share its music internationally, and ATA Carnets are an essential tool in making that vision a reality.

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