BEL CANTO CHILDREN’S CHORUS CONCERT TOUR TO GREAT BRITAIN

Joy Hirokawa, Artistic Director

featuring

THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S

CHOIR FESTIVAL with additional concert at

Coventry Cathedral and London Extension

at

CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL & LONDON

July 20 - 28, 2019

FESTIVAL CONDUCTORS

Henry Leck, Founder & Conductor Laureate, Indianapolis Children’s Choir

David Flood, Master of the Choristers, Canterbury Cathedral

INCLUDED IN YOUR BEL CANTO CHILDREN’S CHORUS ITINERARY:

- All ground transportation in Great Britain by deluxe British motor coach and uniformed driver. - Nine days and seven nights lodging in Canterbury (singles) and London (twins, doubles, triples) Note: London single supplement - $396 - Breakfast daily - All dinners including Hard Rock Cafe dinner (or lunch, 7/25) with the exception of 7/22 & 7/27 - Official Festival Lifetime luggage tags - SongLearning Tracks from Hammond Music Service for the complete Festival Repertoire - ‘Round London Panorama Coach Tour - All concert publicity - Sightseeing as follows: - Sites: London, Canterbury, Windsor, Coventry, Stratford-upon-Avon (time allowing) - Admission to: Windsor Castle, Tower of London (inclu. Crown Jewels, Royal Armouries, etc.), Canterbury Cathedral Precincts, Canterbury Cathedral tour, Coventry Cathedral, Coventry Cathedral Tour

- Sightseeing: Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Monastic Cloisters, Trafalgar Square, Nelson's Column, National Gallery, Westminster and Tower Piers, Covent Garden, Royal Opera House, Theatreland, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, London Underground, Hyde Park Corner, Hard Rock Cafe, Hyde Park,, Dog Collar Museum, Leeds Castle maze, Medieval West Gate, Roman Walls, Buttermarket, Christ Church Gate, Monastic Cloisters, Chapter House, Site of Becket's Shrine, King's School, West Gate Gardens, Poor Priest's Hospital, Coventry St. Michael’s Cathedral, Coventry Blitz Experience, Shakespeare’s birthplace (time allowing)

MIDDAY RECITAL IN COVENTRY CATHEDRAL BY BEL CANTO

CHILDREN’S CHORUS DIRECTED BY JOY HIROKAWA

EVENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHOIR FESTIVAL:

- Concerts and Services presented: - Three Morning Festival Choir Rehearsals conducted by David Flood and Henry Leck - Bel Canto Children’s Chorus Concert in Canterbury Cathedral conducted by Joy Hirokawa (15 minutes unaccompanied) - FESTIVAL CHOIR EVENSONG SERVICE IN CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL (1,400 YEAR-OLD TRADITION) CONDUCTED BY DAVID FLOOD AND HENRY LECK - Two Festival Choir Evening Rehearsals in Canterbury Cathedral with organ conducted by David Flood and Henry Leck - FESTIVAL CHOIR EVENING CONCERT IN CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL CONDUCTED BY DAVID FLOOD AND HENRY LECK - FESTIVAL CHOIR CONCERT AT SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL (OR WESTMINSTER CENTRAL HALL) IN LONDON CONDUCTED BY DAVID FLOOD AND HENRY LECK - Choirs heard: - Individual concerts by other participating choirs in Canterbury Cathedral - Private Individual Choral Workshops: - David Flood, Master of the Choristers, Canterbury Cathedral - Henry Leck, Founder and Artistic Director, Indianapolis Children’s Choir - Services of a full-time Euro Arts Tours manager/escort - Resident Euro Arts Tours Festival Staff

COST (land only):

$1,989 LAND ONLY p.p. 67-95 total participants (singers, chaperones, parents, staff in choir party on two coaches) $2,054 LAND ONLY p.p. 50-66 total participants (singers, chaperones, parents, staff in choir party on one coach) $2,103 LAND ONLY p.p. 38-49 total participants (singers, chaperones, parents, staff in choir party on one coach) For less than 38 participants in the choir group it is possible to join with another small group to share a coach, driver and Tour Manager or the tour can be recalculated. For more than 95 participants in the choir group the tour price will be re-calculated. The above prices are based on a dollar/pound sterling ratio similar to that in effect at the time the tour was planned and a total number of three hundred festival participants including all choir parties (singers, staff, chaperones, parents). GRATUITIES TO TOUR MANAGER AND DRIVER ARE NOT INCLUDED.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE (land only):

Make all payments to Bel Canto Children’s Chorus who will transfer funds as needed to Euro Arts Tours according to the following schedule. - October 1, 2018- Non-Refundable deposit of $100 per participant including chaperones, singers, staff and all traveling in the CHOIR group. (A separate itinerary is provided for the Parent’s Shadow Tour.) - $400 payments per participant due November 15, 2018, January 15, March 15, 2019 - Balance due no later than May 15, 2019.

AIR: Arrangements can be made through Mr. Ed Pitman of Leisure World affiliated with Liberty Travel. 401-944-7421, email: LWTed@aol.com.

NO CHANGES WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF DEPARTURE.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARENTS’ SHADOW TOUR

THE PARENTS’ SHADOW TOUR ITINERARY IS PROVIDED FOR THOSE PARENTS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEIR CHILDREN SING IN THESE WONDERFUL HISTORIC LOCATIONS BUT WOULD PREFER DELUXE HOTELS, FINE MEALS, ADDITIONAL SIGHTSEEING AND A MORE RELAXED PACE WITH VISITS TO LOCAL CASTLES, GARDENS AND VILLAGES WHILE THE CHILDREN ARE REHEARSING, ETC. THE PARENTS’ SHADOW TOUR IS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE TOUR WITH A SEPARATE COACH, DRIVER, TOUR MANAGER AND LODGING LOCATIONS. PARENTS NEED TO CHOOSE ONE OF THESE TWO OPTIONS – THE CHILDREN’S CHOIR ITINERARY AS A CHAPERONE OR PARENT OR THE PARENTS’ SHADOW TOUR ITINERARY. YOUR CHOIR’S SHADOW TOUR ITINERARY PRICE IS BASED UPON A MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS AND IF THIS MINIMUM IS NOT REACHED, THE SMALLER NUMBER CAN BE JOINED WITH ANOTHER CHOIR’S SHADOW TOUR WITH CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ITINERARY TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF BOTH GROUPS. IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO RIDE THE CHOIR COACH ON AIRPORT TRANSFERS OR TAXI TO RENDEZVOUS WITH THE MAIN SHADOW TOUR GROUP. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOUR CHILDREN IN THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY! PLEASE EMAIL EURO ARTS TOURS WITH ANY QUESTIONS.

P.O. Box 352806

Palm Coast, Florida 32135 -2806 U.S.A.

Tel: 386-246-9660 Email: david@euroartstours.com www.euroartstours.com

Bel Canto Children’s Chorus Concert Tour featuring the twenty-second year of the

International Children’s Choir Festival at Canterbury & London

SATURDAY, 7/20 - Depart on regularly scheduled airlines for London's Heathrow or Gatwick airports. Enjoy complimentary snacks, dinner, movies, beverage service and breakfast on board your overnight flight. It will be difficult to sleep because of the excitement, yet with proper planning (earplugs, eyeshades and no caffeine) a few beneficial hours can be managed! SUNDAY, 7/21 - Arrive in London early where your EURO ARTS tour manager will meet you in the Arrivals Hall and direct you to your waiting deluxe over-the-road British motorcoach and uniformed driver. However, before boarding you might wish to change some of your currency to British pounds and pence! Drive the short distance to magnificent Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world, one of the Royal residences dating from the time of William the Conqueror and burial place of many monarchs including Henry VIII! Enter the castle in chaperone groups and keep an eye out for the Queen as you tour the State Apartments and the magnificent St. George’s Chapel, site of the grave of Henry VIII! Thrill at the sight of the Changing of the Guard (more moving than Buckingham Palace)! Enjoy a lunch at your leisure in chaperoned groups in one of the historic inns next to the castle. Drive around London into the lush Kentish countryside called "the Garden of England". Feel your pulse rise much in the manner of the Canterbury pilgrims in the day of Chaucer as you glimpse for the first time mighty Canterbury Cathedral, mother church of English-speaking Christendom, and your “home” for the next four days! Check into your accommodations at King’s School, the oldest school in the English-speaking world founded by St. Augustine in A.D. 597 or Christ Church University’s new facilities at Petros Court and St. George’s Centre. Stroll into the medieval city and the great cathedral with its unique precincts. Time allowing, perhaps follow your EURO ARTS escort into the great 12th century Quire (completed in 1182) and take your seats for the service of Evensong sung by the Canterbury Cathedral Choir of Men, one of the world’s greatest choral organizations under the direction of David Flood your guest conductor during the festival! Enjoy dinner at your accommodations followed by a director’s meeting with festival officials to discuss plans for the days ahead! MONDAY, 7/22 - After breakfast, stroll the short distance to picturesque Shirley Hall next to the great cathedral or the Chapter House in the cathedral’s cloisters and meet other festival participants including your guest conductors and clinicians, David Flood, Master of the Choristers at Canterbury Cathedral, and Henry Leck, Conductor

Laureate of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir and America’s most renowned children’s choir conductor! Begin the first of three morning rehearsals in Shirley Hall in preparation for the Festival Evensong and major evening concerts to be sung in Canterbury Cathedral and Southwark Cathedral in London. After rehearsal enjoy time for lunch at your leisure in chaperoned

groups in the cathedral city. Return to the 12th century Quire of the cathedral to present your scheduled individual choir concert (a cappella) for the other festival choirs and the Canterbury community. After your concert enjoy an in-depth tour of the ecclesiastical history, art and architecture of this great World Heritage Site which was England's largest monastery during the Middle Ages! Enjoy a special emphasis on the architectural styles of the Middle Ages that are seen in the great cathedral that was built over a period of 500 years and completed before Columbus set sail! Marvel at the famous Chapter House and visit the actual site of Becket's shrine where pilgrims from throughout the medieval world prayed until its destruction at the hand of Henry VIII.

Enjoy dinner in chaperoned groups in the cathedral city. Rendezvous with the other festival choirs in the massive 12th c. Quire for a dress rehearsal of your Festival Choir repertoire for the Festival Evensong to be sung on Tuesday. Return to your rooms and enjoy the staggering sight of the cathedral floodlit against the night sky. TUESDAY, 7/23 - After breakfast return to Shirley Hall next to the cathedral or the Chapter House for another rehearsal of the Festival Choir under David Flood and Henry Leck. Following the rehearsal,

re-enter the great cathedral to hear the concerts of other participating festival choirs. Lunch at your leisure in the cathedral city. Return to Shirley Hall for a special individual choral workshop with David Flood, the successor at of Thomas Tallis and Orlando Gibbons! After the workshop enjoy free time to shop in the cathedral city. Meet in the medieval Chapter House in the cloisters to prepare for Evensong and process into the vast cathedral to be seated in the 12th c.

Quire near the chair of Augustine dating from the sixth century. With the Festival Choir sing the Introit, Anthem and the Canticles for the service of Evensong that has taken place on this spot everyday for 1,400 years! Return to your cafeteria for dinner. Meet once again with the Festival Choir in the cathedral Quire after the cathedral is closed to the public for an evening rehearsal with David Flood and Henry Leck on your concert repertoire in preparation for the major Festival concert the following evening. Thrill once again to singing with the massive cathedral organ that rains down from eighty feet in the triforium. WEDNESDAY, 7/24 - After breakfast, enjoy another Festival Choir rehearsal in Shirley Hall. Following the rehearsal, enjoy free time in groups for lunch in the cathedral city. Perhaps return to the cathedral to hear the individual concerts of two other participating Festival choirs. Enjoy time to shop in Canterbury and wander the medieval streets perhaps visiting West Gate Gardens, Poor Priest's Hospital, and possibly St. Martin's Church, the oldest church in continuous use in Europe since the time of Augustine and the

site of the baptism of King Ethelbert in 597 that began the conversion of the English people. Perhaps enjoy a visit to “The Canterbury Tales”, a humorous re-creation of the 14th century England of Chaucer! Return to Shirley Hall in mid-afternoon for a special individual choir workshop with Henry Leck. The rest of the afternoon is free. Enjoy dinner at your accommodations. Return to the cathedral’s 13th c. Chapter House to receive last-minute instruction from Mr. Leck and Mr. Flood and

form your procession. Move into the vast cathedral for the last time to present the culminating Festival event at Canterbury, a major, full-evening concert of the Festival Choir in Canterbury Cathedral under the direction of David Flood and Henry Leck! THURSDAY, 7/25 - After your final Canterbury breakfast, bid your accommodations farewell and board your coach for the one hundred thirty-five mile drive around London to Coventry. Arrive at the magnificent new Coventry Cathedral completed in 1962 by Sir Basil Spence and situated beside the ruin of the former cathedral of St. Michael. Have a quick bite to eat at the cathedral’s Rising Café or at Fairtrade in the Cathedral Shop. Present a scheduled Midday Recital with piano in the cathedral which is the UK’s “favorite building of the 20th century”! Enjoy a special guided tour of the new and ruined cathedrals and a visit to the Blitz

Experience to learn more about the sacrifices during World War II and the spirit of reconciliation following the war. Board your coach and (time allowing) ride the short nineteen miles to lovely, timbered Stratford-upon-Avon. Walk with your Tour Manager to the birthplace of William Shakespeare and to where he attended school at King Edward VI School. Enjoy free time in groups to explore a bit of the beautiful town and perhaps have tea. Board your coach for the eighty-three mile drive into London directly to the original Hard Rock Café at Hyde Park Corner for a special group dinner given in your honor by Euro Arts. Check into your deluxe hotel for the next three nights. FRIDAY, 7/26 - After another English Breakfast, drive directly to the center of London, Trafalgar Square, bordered by the National Gallery, Admiralty Arch, Nelson's Column and the Royal Parish Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields where Händel was once organist! Take time for souvenir shopping and lunch in chaperone groups. The National Gallery and Piccadilly Circus are just around the corner! In the early afternoon, board your coaches for the short ride to Westminster Central Hall on Parliament Square and opposite Westminster Abbey, or, depending upon the size of the Festival Choir, to historic Southwark Cathedral. Westminster Central Hall was Edwardian London’s premiere concert hall and was the first meeting place of the United Nations General Assembly in

1946. Today, Central Hall seats over 2,400 and its massive organ and facilities have been newly refurbished. Enjoy rehearsing with the Festival Choir for the closing concert of the Festival. Return to your hotel by coach to change into concert dress and enjoy your final group dinner. Return by coach to Westminster Central Hall or Southwark Cathedral to present a major London concert event, the

International Children’s Choir Festival Final Concert under the direction of Henry Leck and David Flood. SATURDAY, 7/27 - Following breakfast in groups, board your coach for a 'round London coach tour passing Westminster Abbey, Fleet Street, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Lambeth Palace, Whitehall, Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus arriving at England's most famous landmark, the Tower of London, begun in 1068. Have lunch in the area around the Tower in chaperone groups. Enjoy a colorful tour by one of the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) or your Tour Manager and see the Crown Jewels, the Royal Armouries and the Bloody Tower which is furnished as it might have been during Sir Walter Raleigh's thirteen year imprisonment. Ride to the Covent Garden Market area and shop in groups for those final souvenirs for family and friends back home! Return to your hotel for dinner in groups on your own and, perhaps, a visit to the theatre in the evening. (Tickets are available online.) SUNDAY, 7/28 - Drive to your airport and bid a sad, but fond farewell to your EURO ARTS tour manager and driver as you prepare for your late morning flight back to the U.S.A. Thus will end your International Children’s Choir Festival experience in Canterbury and London and your special visit to Coventry Cathedral; yet, your memories of performing in historic locations, working with the finest conductors and the friendships made along the way with the warm British people will linger for a lifetime!

THIS ITINERARY IS FOR THE CHOIR GROUP CONSISTING OF SINGERS, CHAPERONES, PARENTS AND STAFF. A PARENTS’ SHADOW TOUR FEATURING DELUXE HOTELS, ADDITIONAL SIGHT-SEEING AND A MORE RELAXED PACE WILL BE QUOTED SEPARATELY. THE SHADOW TOUR ITINERARY WILL BE COORDINATED WITH THE CHILDREN’S ITINERARY SO YOU CAN OBSERVE YOUR CHILD IN ALL OF THE FESTIVAL EVENTS!