Thursday, September 15, 2011
"East meets West": A first itinerary for the 2012 SMCC Performance Tour to Germany and Istanbul
The San Marino Chamber Choir under the direction of Mr. Howard Cheung is touring Germany and Istanbul in the spring of 2012. The itinerary below is a first outline and still work in progress.
Day 1, Thursday, March 29
Overnight flight to Europe
Day 2, Friday, March 30
Willkommen in Deutschland
After connecting in Istanbul, your Incantato Tour Manager welcomes you at Munich airport and will bring you to the first hotel for check-in and a first German dinner.
Day 3, Saturday, March 31
Munich Sightseeing
Experience the capital of Germany’s most well-known state Bavaria with a local guide, see the famous Hofbräuhaus and listen to the Glockenspiel on the new town hall. After some free time for shopping, experience a traditional Bratwurst feast.
Day 4, Sunday, April 1
Sunday Mass & Concert SMCC will most likely be performing twice today in or near Munich. More information will be featured here soon.
Day 5, Monday, April 2
Scenic route to Salzburg You are in for a treat as you transfer into nearby Austria and visit Salzburg. Embark on a “Sound of Music” tour and see the historic city center with Mozart’s house, now a museum. SMCC is likely to give a recital in the Salzburger Dom, the most important cathedral in this region. After free-time for exploring, your group continues to Fuessen for check-in to the Schlosshotel Lisl.
Day 6, Tuesday, April 3
Neuschwanstein Tour & Concert
Visiting King Ludwig II.’s magnificent Neuschwanstein castle is a must do when visiting Bavaria. A special concert could take place this evening.
Day 7, Wednesday, April 4
Wieskirche, MUC airport experience and Istanbul flight
Visit the stunning Wieskirche (“Church on the Meadow”) where SMCC is invited to sing for the Pilgrim Mass. Continue to Munich airport which is an attraction in itself and known for great restaurants, shopping and so much more. In the early evening, board your flight to Turkey. A new Incantato Tour Manager will greet you upon arrival in Istanbul and bring you to your hotel for the remainder of the tour.
Day 8, Thursday, April 5
Istanbul in-depth
There is so much to see and do in Istanbul, so let’s start by visiting St. Sophia, the Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Byzantine Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar. Dinner will be traditional Turkish Mezze.
Day 9, Friday, April 6
School visit & exchange
What better way to get to know a new culture than through meeting fellow students. After a school visit and exchange, the remainder of the day is at leisure for shopping and to dine out on your own under the guidance of your tour manager.
Day 10, Saturday, April 7
Bosphorus Cruise, Concert and Farewell Party Start with a brief visit to the 17th century Spice Bazaar, one of Istanbul’s most colorful and bustling attractions, then take a cruise along the Bosphorus, the majestic strait that runs through Istanbul, linking Europe and Asia. After another highlight concert, you will experience a fun farewell with a traditional Turkish Belly Dance show.
Day 11, Sunday, April 8
Depart Istanbul
After breakfast, return home with memories to last a lifetime.
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| Neuschwanstein Castle |
Overnight flight to Europe
Day 2, Friday, March 30
Willkommen in Deutschland
After connecting in Istanbul, your Incantato Tour Manager welcomes you at Munich airport and will bring you to the first hotel for check-in and a first German dinner.
Day 3, Saturday, March 31
Munich Sightseeing
Experience the capital of Germany’s most well-known state Bavaria with a local guide, see the famous Hofbräuhaus and listen to the Glockenspiel on the new town hall. After some free time for shopping, experience a traditional Bratwurst feast.
Day 4, Sunday, April 1
Sunday Mass & Concert SMCC will most likely be performing twice today in or near Munich. More information will be featured here soon.
Day 5, Monday, April 2
Scenic route to Salzburg You are in for a treat as you transfer into nearby Austria and visit Salzburg. Embark on a “Sound of Music” tour and see the historic city center with Mozart’s house, now a museum. SMCC is likely to give a recital in the Salzburger Dom, the most important cathedral in this region. After free-time for exploring, your group continues to Fuessen for check-in to the Schlosshotel Lisl.
Day 6, Tuesday, April 3
Neuschwanstein Tour & Concert
Visiting King Ludwig II.’s magnificent Neuschwanstein castle is a must do when visiting Bavaria. A special concert could take place this evening.
Day 7, Wednesday, April 4
Wieskirche, MUC airport experience and Istanbul flight
Visit the stunning Wieskirche (“Church on the Meadow”) where SMCC is invited to sing for the Pilgrim Mass. Continue to Munich airport which is an attraction in itself and known for great restaurants, shopping and so much more. In the early evening, board your flight to Turkey. A new Incantato Tour Manager will greet you upon arrival in Istanbul and bring you to your hotel for the remainder of the tour.
Day 8, Thursday, April 5
Istanbul in-depth
There is so much to see and do in Istanbul, so let’s start by visiting St. Sophia, the Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Byzantine Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar. Dinner will be traditional Turkish Mezze.
Day 9, Friday, April 6
School visit & exchange
What better way to get to know a new culture than through meeting fellow students. After a school visit and exchange, the remainder of the day is at leisure for shopping and to dine out on your own under the guidance of your tour manager.
Day 10, Saturday, April 7
Bosphorus Cruise, Concert and Farewell Party Start with a brief visit to the 17th century Spice Bazaar, one of Istanbul’s most colorful and bustling attractions, then take a cruise along the Bosphorus, the majestic strait that runs through Istanbul, linking Europe and Asia. After another highlight concert, you will experience a fun farewell with a traditional Turkish Belly Dance show.
Day 11, Sunday, April 8
Depart Istanbul
After breakfast, return home with memories to last a lifetime.
The San Marino Chamber Choir is heading to Istanbul - Here are some facts
This historically rich city of Istanbul is located in the northwestern part of Turkey. While the city is home to over 13 million people, one of the largest populations in Europe, it is actually not the capital of Turkey. (No need to search: the capital is Ankara!) Situated between Asia and Europe, Istanbul bridges the two both physically and culturally. Now is the perfect time to visit this very happening city, as it is currently bidding to host the 2020 Summer Olympics!
Explore the Land
Historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople, many of the ancient monuments date back to Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods. In 1843, Sultan Abdul Mecid ordered architect Garavet Balyan to build the Dolmabahce Palace, an example of the combination of Oriental and Western styles. Then there is the Topkapi Palace, now a museum, was once a home to all of the Ottoman sultans for nearly four centuries. The Istanbul Archeology Museum consists of three museums, which holds one of the world’s richest collection of historical artifacts and treasures. An architectural masterpiece in the city, the Suleymaniye Moque is the largest and most imposing moque. Beautiful, historical landmarks of the city can go on and on; a visit to this marvelous city might never be complete.
Shop at a Major Trade Route
Originally founded as a location to control the major trading routes, connecting east and west, shopping could be considered as just another tourist attraction. Make sure to go Monday through Saturday, as shops may be closed on Sundays. The historical bazaars, marketplaces, are all located in the peninsula of the Old City. There you can browse some of popular things to buy in the city: lokum (confections based on a gel of starch and sugar), Turkish Tea (chai, the national drink of Turkey), rugs, and kilims (flat tapestry-woven carpets produced from the Balkans to Pakistan). Also don’t be alarmed if you have to go through a security checkpoint, similar to airports and museums, as this is common before entering major shopping malls.
Money
Turkey’s currency is the Turkish Lira (TL). At places frequented by tourists the Euro and US dollar are also sometimes accepted; however, be sure to carry some Lira for the places that do not have that option! Be sure to exchange only what you will need for your stay, as converting the Lira back to another currency can be quite difficult after leaving.
Squares and Streets in Salzburg
Fall for the charm of Salzburg by strolling through the city's historic streets and alleys. Here, each house tells a story, and building preservation continues to be a guiding principle. To discover the secrets, please click on the following link: http://www.salzburg.info/en/sights/squares_streets/ The picture shows the famous "Getreidegasse".
SMCC will visit Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein) is a 19th-century Gothic Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner. The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Since then over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. For more information, please see the following website: http://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/palace/index.htmSaturday, August 27, 2011
And the 2012 SMCC Tour will go to: Germany, Austria and Istanbul (Turkey)
For a first glance at this surely more exotic destination that is located on two continents, we recommend you visit this story about 48 hours in Istanbul.
More information on the 2012 Incantato SMCC Performance Tour will be added here shortly, so please keep checking back and become a follower of the blog so you do not miss out on any updates.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
SMCC choir director Howard Cheung on the importance of choir tours
SMCC choir director Howard Cheung is a firm believer in the power of choir tours. Not only has he been taking his students on trips for years, but he used to join such trips as a teenager.
"I believe in this strongly," he said.
And it's not just about sight-seeing, though the sites in Italy are beautiful. "It's about leaving something behind: their music."
What's most important, though, is that tours like this make singers more well-rounded people and better team players.
"It's a growing experience," he said.
"I believe in this strongly," he said.
And it's not just about sight-seeing, though the sites in Italy are beautiful. "It's about leaving something behind: their music."
What's most important, though, is that tours like this make singers more well-rounded people and better team players.
"It's a growing experience," he said.
Remembering San Marino's Artmonk Experience
After their cultural exchange with students from a local Rieti high school last week, the San Marino Chamber Choir embarked on another exchange: this time with four American artists who are living and working in Italy with the Art Monastery Project.
The Artmonks have dedicated their lives to applying monastic principles, including contemplation, shared ritual, and shared work, to artmaking (instead of religion); and they wanted to share their philosophy with the SMCC students.
The experience was led by Liz Maxwell, a theater director and blues singer from New Orleans, and Betsy McCall, a visual artist and synchronized swimmer from Buffalo, New York, who first asked the students to make a circle around an empty fountain in the piazza and think about the fountain as a sacred, special place.
The Artmonks then led the students in a silent meditation, during which they were asked to tune in to their sensations and feelings, as well as the sounds around them.
"Notice how Italy's still really loud even when we're silent," Liz joked.
Even so, one student later said the silent meditation was "really soothing. I felt like my head was floating."
After a period of quiet contemplation, the Artmonks instructed the students to sing the first eight bars of "Come Sweet Death," one of the songs in their tour repertoire, as they're used to singing it. After doing so three times, the students were invited to start improvising with the notes, tempo, and dynamics of the song.
At first, the students were hesitant to stray from the rules they'd been adhering to for nearly a year. But soon, the sound in the piazza was completely transformed into a moving, breathing cacophony. When, after several minutes of improvisation, the students came back to their familiar version of the song, the result sounded sweeter and brighter than when they'd started.
"Normally we're not allowed to break the lines of the song," said one student. "It was very freeing."
Another student agreed. "It's amazing to not think about what other people are thinking."
Choir director Howard Cheung also appreciated the exercise.
"It was very well received," he said. "This group of kids is comfortable with each other and willing to try new things."
The Artmonks have dedicated their lives to applying monastic principles, including contemplation, shared ritual, and shared work, to artmaking (instead of religion); and they wanted to share their philosophy with the SMCC students.
The experience was led by Liz Maxwell, a theater director and blues singer from New Orleans, and Betsy McCall, a visual artist and synchronized swimmer from Buffalo, New York, who first asked the students to make a circle around an empty fountain in the piazza and think about the fountain as a sacred, special place.
The Artmonks then led the students in a silent meditation, during which they were asked to tune in to their sensations and feelings, as well as the sounds around them.
"Notice how Italy's still really loud even when we're silent," Liz joked.
Even so, one student later said the silent meditation was "really soothing. I felt like my head was floating."
After a period of quiet contemplation, the Artmonks instructed the students to sing the first eight bars of "Come Sweet Death," one of the songs in their tour repertoire, as they're used to singing it. After doing so three times, the students were invited to start improvising with the notes, tempo, and dynamics of the song.
At first, the students were hesitant to stray from the rules they'd been adhering to for nearly a year. But soon, the sound in the piazza was completely transformed into a moving, breathing cacophony. When, after several minutes of improvisation, the students came back to their familiar version of the song, the result sounded sweeter and brighter than when they'd started.
"Normally we're not allowed to break the lines of the song," said one student. "It was very freeing."
Another student agreed. "It's amazing to not think about what other people are thinking."
Choir director Howard Cheung also appreciated the exercise.
"It was very well received," he said. "This group of kids is comfortable with each other and willing to try new things."
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
San Marino sings @ the Rieti Theatre (PHOTOS)
San Marino sings an amazing concert in the beautiful Rieti Theatre. With a jam-packed audience, San Marino delivered outstanding choral music that filled the space of the renowned theatre.
Students rehearsing and gazing at the amazing art.
Early dinner before the concert @ 9pm
Adrian and Antonio. <3
Saturday, April 9, 2011
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