So when is this tour happening?

The CSO tour to Argentina will be during spring break, from March 31, 2017 to April 9, 2017. We will leave Cornell in the early morning of March 31, fly to Argentina overnight, and fly back on April 8. We should arrive back in Ithaca on the 9th in the evening.

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Wait, but March 31 is the Friday before Spring break! Am I going to miss classes?

Yes; you will have to miss classes all day on March 31. Please make prior arrangements. If you have discussion sections or lab sections, please inform your instructor or TA as early as possible; your instructors are more likely to accommodate you if you tell them earlier. If you have an exam on that date, most professors will allow you to take it a day early. If any of your professors give you trouble, contact Chris (cyk8) for further information.

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I am in the Cornell Chamber Orchestra / I am only doing orchestra for the fall semester / I am only doing orchestra for the spring semester. Can I go on this tour?

Sure! Anyone from either of the orchestras may go on this tour, provided that there are still spaces open. Go ahead and fill out the tour sign-up sheet by clicking right here.

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I am an alumni of the Cornell Orchestras. Can I go on this tour?

Sure! All alumni are welcome to join us to tour in Argentina, provided that there are still spaces open. However, please be aware that you may not receive financial support from the school. Contact Chris (cyk8) if you are interested.

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Wait, so this tour seems pretty cool, but how much is it going to cost?

So as of this moment, costs are not finalized, but we estimate a per-person cost between $1400 and $1600, but--

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WAIT WHOA WHOA WAIT WAIT WHAT OH MY GOD THAT'S SO MUCH AHHH EEEK OMGOMG

Nononono don't worry! That's not what you'll have to pay! The $1400-$1600 figure represents the unsubsidized cost of the tour, but there will be funding from the music department, and the orchestra plans to fundraise $50,000 this year, which should keep the cost under $1,000.

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AHHH EEEEK $50,000 IS SO MUCH MONEY WE'RE NEVER GOING TO RAISE THAT MUCH OHNOOHNOOHNO EEEEEKKKK

Well we can raise that much money! Other groups in the department have done it; so can we! In fact, we've already raised over $11,000! Unlike in years past, we have a concrete fundraising plan that primarily involves reaching out to alumni, businesses, and organizations, as well as using crowdfunding. This will be supplemented by smaller-scale fundraising efforts, such as food sales, music performance events, etc.

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Still, I don't think I can afford such an expensive tour. What should I do?

If cost is a major concern for you, there are several ways to reduce the cost of your touring experience. The easiest way, and the most highly recommended, is to help fundraise! The money raised from fundraising will not be doled out equally; the more you help with fundraising efforts, the more money you will get. Although a portion of your efforts will still go to the general orchestra fund, this will ensure that you will be able to reap the rewards of your labor.

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Another way to save money is to explore your options in terms of lodging in Argentina. In most of the hotels/hostels we stay at, there will be different-sized rooms, which will of course be priced differently. In addition, in Neuquén, there will be 15 openings for home stays, where you would stay with the family of one of the orchestra members. This would be free, and save you $100-$200 for the 5 nights of lodging in Neuquén.

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Eww. I hate fundraising. What if I just did...no fundraising...and let other people fundraise the tour?

First of all, you are literally the worst kind of person. Second of all, everyone needs to help out with fundraising! As we said before, $50,000 is an ambitious fundraising goal, but it is achievable if and only if everyone helps out. You might not find $1600-$1800 to be a burden, but many of your fellow orchestra members do. Thus, if you want to go on the tour, you must help with fundraising.

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Your FAQ section sucks. You didn't answer any of my questions.

Well, okay, you didn't ask me any of your questions, did you? No matter, if you have any further questions about the tour, please feel free to email the co-chairs of the tour planning committee:

Lauren Blacker (lsb236)

Mitchell Dominguez (md697)

Paul Huang (ph399)

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