Wishing you safe travels to Germany!

Dear Members of the 2014 Mater Dei HS Choirs Enchanting Easter Performance Tour,

We wish you safe travels to Germany. Incantato Tour Managers Stefania, Hildrun and Kelsey will be welcoming you on Friday, April 18, 2014 at the Munich airport.
 
Enjoy your performance tour and your Easter celebrations in Europe, Your Incantato Concert Tours Team

Mater Dei HS Choirs Enchanting Easter Incantato Concert Tours Journey 2014 - UPDATED ITINERARY

Are you counting the days to departure yet? A detailed itinerary is on its way via MDHS, but here is an updated day by day summary of where you will be and what is awaiting you. 

Day 1, Thursday, April 17, 2014
Overnight flights from LAX - Please check with Mr. Melvin and Mr. Miller about departure times from MDHS and meeting points at Los Angeles Airport. Remember, only one checked suitcase per person weighing a maximum of 50 pounds is allowed per traveler plus a bag pack style carry-on. 

Day 2, Friday, April 18
Willkommen in Germany - Good Friday in Munich
Meet your Incantato Tour Managers and busses at the airport. The US Airways group transfers with an orientation tour en-route to your first hotel in Munich, Bavaria. The Lufthansa group goes straight from the airport to the hotel. After check-in, all travelers enjoy a traditional welcome dinner at the Ratskeller Restaurant in the very heart of Munich. In observation of Good Friday, this will be a vegetarian dinner. Overnight is at the Achat Hotel Munich Sued. 

Day3, Saturday,April19
Via Neuschwanstein to Salzburg
No, it is not Cinderella‘s Castle perched high upon the mountain, but the real Schloss Neuschwanstein that you will
be visiting today. After a guided tour of King Ludwig II.'s fairy tale castle, the MDHS Choirs will also visit the pilgrimage site of Wieskirche and learn about the miracle that lead to the construction of this stunning Baroque Church on the meadow. After some time for reflection and prayer, continue to Salzburg, Austria for a tour focusing on the city‘s rich history as well as „The Sound of Music“. Overnight is at the Wyndham Grand Hotel Salzburg. 

Day 4, Sunday, April 20
Easter Mass in Salzburg and Klagenfurt
The Mater Dei HS Choirs have the opportunity to celebrate Easter Mass in Salzburg's famous Cathedral in the morning (10 am). The group will then continue to Klagenfurt in beautiful Carinthia, Austria‘s most musical state. Carinthia is the group‘s base for the next three nights. A first performance highlight will be the Mater Dei Choirs singing Easter Mass at Klagenfurt Cathedral this evening at 7 pm. 
Overnight until April 23 is at Seepark Hotel Klagenfurt. 

Day 5, Monday, April 21
Easter Celebrations & Concert with Youth Exchange
Today is a National Holiday in Austria and it will be all about Easter once again in a relaxed environment. A highlight concert as part of Carinthia’s Easter music festival will take place at the church of Stift Viktring, now home to the Musikgymnasium, a former royal residence now a music high school, followed by a reception and youth exchange.

Day 6, Tuesday, April 22
Slovenia Excursion - Experience Lake Bled - Castle lunch and Gmuend Visit
Country-hopping is fun and the border to Slovenia is very close.You’ll explore the beautiful area of Lake Bled nestled between two mountain ranges. Take a boat ride and visit the Church of the Assumption located on a small island. Dedicated to both Mary the Virgin and Mary Magdalene, the church is built on the site where the ancestors of modern Slovenes worshipped an ancient Slavic goddess. For lunch, the Mater Dei HS Choirs will return to Austria and the town of Gmuend where home-made Austrian Kaesepaetlze will be served in a castle. On the agenda is also a city tour for the family & friends group, the singers visit to the Pankratium (see separate blog entry).

Day 7, Wednesday, April 23
Bella Italia - Padua visit & likely Mass at Duomo di Padua
Say Auf Wiedersehen to Austria, as your journey continues to Italy today. Visit the lively yet historic town of Padua (Padova) - the first university was founded here in 1222. The MDHS Choirs will visit the revered pilgrimage site of the eight-domed Basilica of Sant‘Antonio di Padova. The originally planned sung Mass at St. Anthony was cancelled by the Parish as they granted thousands of Polish pilgrims the permission to "use" the church as their home for this week. Incantato is in close contact with the Duomo di Padua now for an alternative performance opportunity. The MDHS travelers will stay for the remainder of the tour at the NH Hotel Mantegna in Padova.

Day 8,Thursday, April 24
Verona excursion - Highlight Concert in Piazzola sul Brenta
Verona’s most famous “residents” were Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Founded in the first century A.D. by the Romans, this beautiful city is dotted with pretty palazzi, elegant squares and medieval gems. The MDHS travelers will visit Verona with local guides and have some time to explore this lovely musical city. In the afternoon, the groups continue to a small village outside Verona. After a traditional Italian agriturismo dinner, the first of two very special Italian highlight concerts featuring the MDHS Choirs takes place at the beautiful cathedral, aka the Duomo of Piazzola sul Brenta. 

Day 9, Friday, April 25
Venice sightseeing - St. Mark‘s Day - Mater Dei HS Choirs sing Mass at St. Mark's Cathedral
There is so much to see and do in Venice that you will spend two days exploring the islands. Today features a guided tour of the main attractions followed by some free time. A highlight will be experiencing St. Mark‘s Day - the city‘s patron Saint - which is celebrated with a procession in the Basilica. Thereafter, the Mater Dei HS Choirs will be the featured guest choir for Mass on this special day in St. Mark's Cathedral.

Day 10, Saturday, April 26
Venetian Island & Farewell concerto at San Rocco
Unlike most visitors, MDHS will get a chance to step off the tourist path today and explore more of Venice‘s rich Catholic and also musical history. You will be visiting San Michele island to see how Italians pay respect to the departed among other pilgrimage sites and also visit colorful Burano island. The farewell concerto takes place at San Rocco Church (see separate entry), thereafter, the MDHS travelers will eat their farewell dinner in the very heart of Venice.

Day 11, Sunday, April 27
Return flights home to LAX
The tour concludes as the groups travels to Venice airport for their return flights home with memories to last a lifetime. 

Follow the Mater Dei Catholic HS Enchanting Easter Tour on Incantato Concert Tours' Facebook

You are a family member and/ or a friend and would like to see what the Mater Dei Catholic HS experiences on their Enchanting Easter Tour with Incantato Tours? Then check out their photo album on our Facebook page. You will see pictures of the travelers, their hotels, restaurants and venues where they are going to perform.

Incantato Insider: Musikgymnasium in Carinthia, Austria - MDHS Concert Venue for Easter Monday

As an Incantato favorite destination, Carinthia has much to offer, especially musically. One of the unique offers found in Austria's southern-most region is the BRG Viktring, a secondary school with a musical and artistic emphasis incorporated into its regular education and coursework. There are different scholastic paths that students may choose from, one with a concentration on artistic education including design, painting, architecture, photo and film. Another is with a musical concentration including choral music, as well as classical and jazz ensembles. 

In the fall of 2011, the BRG Viktring initiated a project in corporation with the Conservatorium Carinthia, the latter of which was founded in 1827 and offers musical undergraduate, graduate, as well as diploma programs. For the Bachelor of Music, students can major in performance, opera performance, composition, sound engineering, and musicology. The Master of Arts degree is in Applied Musicology, while the Artistic Diploma program offers specializations in performance, composition, and orchestral conducting. 

The project these two musical educational institutions initiated is the so-called Musikgymnasium, or musical secondary school, which places an extensive emphasis on musical education while still culminating in the Abitur, the secondary school degree necessary for the general qualification for university entrance. This special secondary school offers talented young musicians from grade 5 onward a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn significant musical content and to accumulate musical theory knowledge in a concentrated form during their school years. The goal is to provide students with a maximum amount of practical experience and actual rehearsal time with the pleasant side-effect of also completing the matriculation examination. Concentrations include folk music, chamber music ensemble, theater/acting, early music, orchestra organization, and music exchange. 

However, this emphasized musical education is not designed to take away from the overall academics and coursework necessary for the Abitur. A second foreign language, for example, is just as mandatory as the participation in a choir or an ensemble. The Musikgymnasium provides a complete, well-rounded education alongside an accelerated musical education, as well as rehearsal time and practical music sessions. 

Take a look at your flight schedule to Europe

1. FLIGHT INFORMATION US AIRWAYS
Departure for Europe
Thursday, April 17, 2014
US Airways flight US716 leaves Los Angeles (LAX) for Philadelphia (PHL), at 8:30 am local time, arrival is at 4:45 pm local time.
The same day, the group then connects from Philadelphia (PHL) at 6:35 pm with US Airways flight US716 to Munich (MUC), Germany, with an arrival time of 8:50 am the next day (Friday, April 18, 2014).

Return to the US
Sunday, April 27, 2014
US Airways flight US715 departs Venice (VCE), Italy, at 11:35 am local time for Philadelphia (PHL), to arrive at 3:10 pm.
The group then connects from Philadelphia (PHL) at 5:54 pm with US Airways flight US717 to Los Angeles (LAX) with an arrival time of 8:42 pm local time.


2. FLIGHT INFORMATION LUFTHANSA I
Departure for Europe
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Lufthansa flight LH453 leaves Los Angeles (LAX) for Munich (MUC), Germany, at 5:20 pm local time, arrival is at 1:25 pm the next day (Friday, April 18, 2014).

Return to the US
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Lufthansa flight LH333 departs Venice (VCE), Italy, at 7:05 am local time for Frankfurt (FRA), Germany, to arrive at 8:30 am.
The group then connects from Frankfurt (FRA) at 10:05 am with Lufthansa flight LH456 to Los Angeles (LAX) with an arrival time of 12:40 pm local time.


3. FLIGHT INFORMATION LUFTHANSA II
Departure for Europe
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Lufthansa flight LH453 leaves Los Angeles (LAX) for Munich (MUC), Germany, at 5:20 pm local time, arrival is at 1:40 pm the next day (Friday, April 18, 2014).

Return to the US
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Air Dolomiti flight EN8201 departs Venice (VCE), Italy, at 9:20 am local time for Munich (MUC), Germany, to arrive at 10:25 am.
The group then connects from Munich (MUC) at 12:15 pm with Lufthansa flight LH452 to Los Angeles (LAX) with an arrival time of 3:30 pm local time.

Your Incantato Travel Route

Eat as the locals do in Austria

Traditional Austrian cuisine is composed of influences from throughout the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nearby regions, such as Italy, Hungary, Germany, and the Balkans, have also had an effect on Austrian cooking.

WIENER SCHNITZEL is a breaded veal cutlet. It is dipped in flour, egg, and bread crumbs, then fried in butter or oil to a golden brown.

GULASCH is a stew, similar to Hungarian “pörkölt”, of meat and vegetables. Austrian goulasch is often eaten with rolls, bread or dumplings.

BOSNA, sometimes called Bosner, is a spicy Austrian fast food dish. Similar to a hot dog, it consists of a Bratwurst sausage, onions, and a blend of ketchup, mustard, and curry powder. It is made with white bread, which is usually grilled before serving.

KAISERSCHMARRN is a light, caramelized pancake made from a sweet batter with flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and milk, which is baked in butter. The pancake gets split into pieces while frying, shredded after preparation, and is usually sprinkled with powder sugar. It is served hot with an apple or plum sauce, or various fruit compotes.

SACHERTORTE is a chocolate cake that was invented by Franz Sacher in 1832 for Klemens Wenzel von Metternich in Vienna.

ALMDUDLER is the brand name of a popular Austrian soft drink. It is a sweetened carbonated beverage made of grape and apple juice concentrates and flavored with herbs. The flavor is similar to ginger ale.