Scholarship Program for 2012 LAO Conference Now Accepting Applications

Barrington, IL March 6, 2012 -- Five League of American Orchestra (LAO) members will be awarded 2012 scholarships by boomerang carnets® as of April 1st.  The Carnets “Play the World” Scholarships are awarded to professional and youth orchestras that promote American orchestras through their international tours.  Orchestras that have not toured but that plan to tour internationally within the next three years are also eligible for the scholarship.  A new scholarship benefit has been announced for 2012: scholarship recipients will be eligible for a $250 cash (or equivalent) prize should the orchestra get a carnet from CIB within 12 months following the 2012 LAO Annual Conference.

To emphasize the importance of professional education for orchestra operations professionals, the awards are directed to Executive Directors, General Managers and Directors of Operations whose orchestras are members of the League.  Orchestra staff that manage international tours are also eligible.

Each award covers virtually the entire cost of registration fees (or travel expenses), averaging $500 per scholarship recipient.  This year’s conference is in Dallas from June 5th – 8th.  Scholarship recipients appreciate the monetary award since, in most cases, they would not be able to attend the conference due to budget constraints.  Most of the recipients in 2011 were first time attendees to a LAO annual conference.  A first-time LAO conference attendee commented, "...I am very grateful for the LAO scholarship I received. This was my first LAO conference. I made a number of great contacts and connections and learned a lot in the youth orchestra sessions and about the orchestra industry in general." - Holly Caprell, Executive Director, Greensville County Youth Orchestras.

The 2011 scholarship recipients included: Detroit Symphony, The Knights, Memphis Symphony, Philadelphia Youth Sinfonia, Greenville County Youth Orchestra, New Jersey Youth Symphony, and Toledo Symphony.

Anyone interested in being considered for the scholarship award can download an application online or contact Moira Wilson at 847-852-3104 or Moira@ATACarnet.com

Boomerang carnets® provides ATA Carnet services to U.S. and Canadian performing arts organizations traveling abroad. Boomerang carnets® provides ATA Carnets to professional, regional, youth and university orchestras and bands enabling them to tour to 87 member countries without paying duties or taxes when clearing customs.  Boomerang carnets® is an appointed Service Provider of the United States Council for International Business and issues over 5000 ATA Carnets annually to U.S. non-profit and for-profit organizations.

For additional information contact:

Leslie August, 650-566-0727, Leslie@ATACarnet.com

Boomerang carnets®
18 East Dundee Road, Building 4, Suite 110
Barrington, IL 60010