Ouch. How Valuable Not To Miss The Final Concert Of A Composition Workshop?

Tough decision time.

I'll be one of many composers in a new music performance/composition workshop. There was a miscommunication about the dates, and I bought my international plane tickets leaving one day too early. I now have to choose: either change my tickets -- which would cost about $450 U.S. -- or miss the workshop's big final concert.

Things we know:

- The final concert will be recorded well, and I'll be sent a copy;

- There's no way to be sure until during the workshop whether the final concert will include a piece of mine, but there's a good chance it will; and

- I will definitely have a couple of pieces on other concerts/readings earlier in the workshop.

I know the final concert and whatever socializing we'd do afterwards is really important for building connections with the performers and with the other composers.

I have enough money saved up in my workshop/travel budget that I could change the tickets. But it's a lot of money. Enough for a whole other workshop locally or any number of other things for my career.

Any input to help me think about this would be appreciated!

(Just to clarify: $450 for the change fees really seems to be my cheapest change option -- I can't do a trick like dropping the original tickets and looking for other deals, since the original tickets are non-refundable. So the question is simply: is not missing the last night worth $450?)

I doubt the concert is important.... it's the "schmooze" afterwards that can be worth it. Is anyone interesting/important going to attend the concert? Will you have a chance to hang out with them that you would not otherwise have?

If it's just a performance, skip it.

Good question. As far as I know, the most interesting/important people at the concert will be faculty composers and performers with whom I will already have been working for the preceding week.

I decided to keep the tickets the same and miss the concert.

Lesson learned: double-check info like this by explicitly asking even if it seems clear!

I wouldn't have missed a performance of one of my works, but that's because I've never had one before. Otherwise, it's your call.