Germany 2007

The Orchestra embarked on their first ever European Tour in April 2007. They travelled by coach to Dover, ferry to Calais, and then on to Germany.

The coach company was Bostocks Coaches of Congleton, very well known and highly respected in and around Cheshire.

The travel company responsible for all the concert and itinerary arrangements were NST Music Tours, www.nstgroup.co.uk/music, who are based in Blackpool and are very experienced in organising tours for schools / youth orchestras

We stayed at Hotel Bad Wildstein, 56841 Traben-Trarbach - www.hotelbadwildstein.de - which is situated in a peaceful setting approximately 4km from Traben Trarbach in the centre of an important wine growing area between Bernkastel and Cochem. To the south lies the Roman city of Trier, with Koblenz to the north.

We performed three concerts while in Germany. The first on Tuesday 3rd April at Zeltingen Rachtig commencing at 8pm. Wednesday 4th April saw us performing at Karpark Bad Neuenahr at 3pm and on Thursday 5th April the last concert on the itinerary was at Grosser Kursaal Bad Bertrich. Friday 6th April we departed on the homeward journey back to Congleton.

Our concert programmes included a selection of music with a European flavour includinge a very English composition by Vaughan Williams - English Folk Song Suite. To give a European flavour we included Charpentier's "Te Deum" which is more popularly known as the Eurovision Theme music. Highlights from "Harry Potter" were included along with "Symphonic Reflections" by Andrew Lloyd-Webber. Beethoven was included with the Finale from Symphony No. 5. Especially requested by our German hosts - A Touch of Jazz by Duke Ellington, along with Broadway Tonight! and a Tribute to Lerner & Loewe. Something for a variety of tastes. In all the orchestra performed 14 pieces of music at the three venues
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This is the first picture to come through from the party in Germany. It is a photograph of the Concert at Bad Neuenahr which took place at 15.00 hrs on Wednesday 4th April 2007.

However, it wasn't all hard work. There was some sightseeing too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These pictures were taken on the last day - 5th April 2007 and before their final Concert.

Go to the Members' Page for the full picture album of the Tour.
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The orchestra also visited Cochem Castle, situated on the top of a hill some 100 metres above the beautiful River Moselle for one of their excursions.

Something that amused and delighted the members was a visit to Siegfrieds Mechanical Musikkabinett which is situated in Rudesheim. Here they spent some of their free time viewing all the wonderful exhibits.

Last, but certainly not least, was a River Cruise to Rudesheim.

 

 

The tour has been subsidised by various organisations, including Congleton Town Council /Congleton Inclosure Trust / Congleton Town Trust / Congleton Young People's Trust / Congleton Twinning Committee / Congleton Carnival Committee and the Eastern Cheshire NHS Primary Care Trust, along with money from the orchestra's own funds.

We are most grateful to all our sponsors for their support.
We are proud to be representing Congleton Borough

 

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Page Up-Dated 20th July 2008