YPAS homeward bound

After a week on the cruise ship and a fun day and evening in Prague, the Youth Performing Arts School Concert Choir, their family and friends are on their way home. It was an honor to work with and for the fine organization under the direction of Dr. Timothy Glasscock.

Concert Impressions from Schweiklberg, Bavaria (Germany)

Finale highlight concert at Schweiklberg Abbey on Saturday, April 9, at 7 pm

Beautiful Schweiklberg Abbey in Vilshofen, Germany, will be the finale concert venue of the 2011 Incantato Performance Tour Cruise for the YPAS travelers on Saturday, April 9, at 7 pm. The abbey was founded in 1905 by Cölestin Meier and five other monks. The church - where the performance will take place - has two significant onion domes which are around 167 feet high. There are eight dials, six of them show the current time, the other ones show the altitude of the sun and the moon. The church was dedicated to the holy trinity in 1925.

Passing time in Passau, Germany

Another gorgeous day on the Danube! This morning the YPAS Performance group took some time to stroll the streets of Passau, Germany.

During the walking tour, our guide explained that they have recently found remnants of a stone-age settlement there. This discovery pushes the origins of the city much further back than the Roman settlement which was originally thought to be the beginning of this city on the shores of three rivers. Passau was most influential during the hay-day of the salt trade in Europe.

 

We also got to see the world's largest cathedral organ (it is also the 2nd largest organ in the world and the  largest organ outside of the US). The Organ of St. Stephen's Cathedral has nearly 18,000 pipes and 233 stops. The complete system is comprised of 5 organs.

The Echo Organ is actually above the middle nave! The sound from the Echo Organ comes out of the so-called "Heiliggeistloch," a golden circular vent in the ceiling.

Incantato proudly presents the Youth Performing Arts School Touring Choir together with the Cesky Krumlov Pipers at Church of Holy Corpse - April 8

On Friday, April 8 at 6:00 PM, the Youth Performing Arts School Touring Choir from Louisville, Kentucky, will perform together with the Cesky Krumlov Pipers at the Church of Holy Corpse (Kostel Boziho tela Cesky Krumlov) in Cesky Krumlov. The church belongs to the monk order of the Bohemian Crusading Knights and it is maintained by the city of Cesky Krumlov. The church and the adjacent convent were founded in 1350 by the widow of Peter I Rosenberg, member of a family that greatly influenced the city. The benefit concert takes place together with the Českokrumluvští pištci (Cesky Krumlov Pipers; see picture below) under the direction of Mrs. Renata Pyšíková. Their repertoir: old Czech music from the Renaissance period.

YPAS explores magical Český Krumlov

Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle. Old Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district. The city is named Český Krumlov ("Bohemian Krumlov") to differentiate it from Moravský Krumlov ("Moravian Krumlov") in the southeast of the country.
Construction of the town and castle began in the late 13th century at a ford in the Vltava River, which was important in trade routes in Bohemia. In 1302 the town and castle were owned by the House of Rosenberg. Emperor Rudolf II bought Krumlov in 1602 and gave it to his natural son Julius d’Austria. Emperor Ferdinand II gave Krumlov to the House of Eggenberg. From 1719 until 1945 the castle belonged to the House of Schwarzenberg. Most of the architecture of the old town and castle dates from the 14th through 17th centuries; the town's structures are mostly in Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. The core of the old town is within a horseshoe bend of the river, with the old Latrán neighborhood and castle on the other side of the Vltava. The town was seat of Duchy of Krumlov. 8,662 inhabitants lived in Krumau an der Moldau in 1910, including 7,367 Germans and 1,295 Czechs. During the interwar era it was part of Czechoslovakia. Between 1938 and 1945 it was annexed by Nazi Germany as part of the so-called Sudetenland. The town's German-speaking population was expelled after liberation by the American Army during World War II and it was restored to Czechoslovakia. During the Communist era of Czechoslovakia, Krumlov fell into disrepair, but since the Velvet Revolution of 1989 much of the town's former beauty has been restored, and it is now a major holiday destination popular with tourists from Germany, Austria, and beyond. In August, 2002, the town suffered from damage in the great flood of the Vltava River.
Český Krumlov Castle is unusually large for a town of Krumlov's size; within the Czech Republic it is second in extent only to the Hradčany castle complex of Prague. Inside its grounds are a large garden, an extensive bridge over a deep gap in the rock upon which the castle is built and the castle itself, which in turn consist of many defined parts dating from different periods of time. Church of St. Vitus (Kostel Sv. Víta) is a Gothic church dating back to the 15th century with frescoes from the same period. Český Krumlov Castle preserves its Baroque theatre (completed 1766), complete with original stage machinery, scenery and props:, one of only a few such court theatres that still exist. Due to its age, the theatre is only used three times a year (only two are open to the public), when a Baroque opera is performed in simulated candlelight. The castle's last private owner was Adolph Schwarzenberg. It was here that he received President Edvard Beneš and gave him a large contribution for the defence of Czechoslovakia against the growing threat of Nazi Germany. His property was seized by the Gestapo in 1940 and then confiscated by the Czechoslovak government in 1945. Krumlov has a museum dedicated to the painter Egon Schiele, who lived in the town. Ten kilometers from Krumlov is one of Bohemia's oldest monasteries, Zlatá Koruna ("The Golden Crown"). About 30 km from Krumlov is the Hluboka Castle, established in the twelfth century and later remodelled in imitation of Windsor Castle.
Krumlov is close to the Šumava National Park, the Czech Republic's largest national park. The Šumava mountains lie along the border with Austria and Germany and offer a range of natural habitats - peat bogs, Alpine meadows, old-growth forests, lakes, and rivers. The area is popular with walkers, cyclists, and canoeists on the Vltava. Cesky Krumlov is only a short distance from the man-made Lake Lipno, on which many people take boat trips to various small towns on the lake and also to the Dam, which is a Hydro-electic power plant. Český Krumlov is home to Pivovar Eggenberg brewery. It has also been used as filming locations for movies such as the 2006 films "The Illusionist" and "Hostel" as well as the 1970s German movie "Traumstadt".

Cesky Krumlov

City Facts about Linz

Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria. It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately 30 km south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is 189,284. The city was founded by the Romans, who called it Lentia. The name Linz was first recorded in 799 AD, after Bavarians expanded south and Linz became a center of trade.
Linz is an industrial city (with huge steel and chemical works) which was bombed during World War II - and was one of the few cities of Nazi-Germany that escaped total destruction. The city gets a lot of international media attention because of its annual Ars Electronica Festival; an international festival for Electronic Art. It also hosts the "Klangwolke" ("sound-cloud"); a big cultural Open-Air spectacle with modern and traditional music and a massive light show, which is held in September. Linz has become the "European Capital of Culture" in 2009, by virtue of an independent cultural development and an innovative culture and art scene.

Impromptu Singing at the Melk Abbey

YPAS fills Stiftskirche - Durnstein with the Sounds of Sacred Songs

    The sun rose over the beautiful Danube and the YPAS students and guests found themselves in the charming town of Durnstein.

   We wove our way through the vineyards and past apricot trues just beginning to bloom to the center of town. There they found plenty of shopping and many photo opportunities in the twist and turns of the city in the shadow of the castle ruins.
  After a morning exploring the lovely town of Durnstein, Austria, the students of the YPAS Choir found their way along the labyrinth of streets to the monastery church of Durnstein. I caught one of them as she rushed in the door right before the performance. The atmosphere in the church was perfect for a few uplifting songs with the sun filtering in threw the windows over the alter.

They sung among the gilded icons of this lovely baroque church.

Duernstein

Mozart Requiem in Stephansdom

It was a full house at Stephansdom as the YPAS Choir performed Mozart Requiem.

Incantato Tours proudly presents the Youth Performing Arts School Touring Choir at Vienna's Saint Stephen's Cathedral on Wednesday, April 6, 8:30 PM

The Youth Performing Arts School Touring Choir will perform Mozart's Requiem at Vienna's Saint Stephen's Cathedral on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 8:30PM.
Saint Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, reigns as the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schoenberg. The cathedral’s present Romanesque and Gothic façade was commissioned by Rudolf IV and stands atop the ruins of two earlier churches. The church is located in the heart of Vienna within the Stephansplatz district. It is not only considered the most important religious structure in the capital city, but the cathedral’s multi-colored tile roofing also makes it the most recognizable. Saint Stephen’s Cathedral boasts a very important organ tradition. The sanctuary’s first organ was installed in 1334 but was unfortunately destroyed during a fire in 1945. Michael Kauffmann constructed a large electric organ in its place in 1960 which includes 125 voices, four manuals, and over 9,000 pipes, all financed by public donation. In 1991 the current choir organ was built by the Austrian firm Rieger. The new mechanical organ is comprised a more modest 56 voices and four manuals.A prominent Vienna landmark, Saint Stephen’s Cathedral is featured in many media productions including films, video games, and television shows. These include the 1949 Orson Welles film “The Third Man,” and the 2004 video game “Burnout 3.” An image of the cathedral is also depicted on the Austrian 10 cent Euro coin as well as the packaging of the popular Manner-Schnitten wafer treat. In 2008, Broadway star Sarah Brightman performed a promotional concert in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral which was recorded for television broadcast and released later in DVD form.

Incantato Impressions: Stephansdom, Vienna

City Facts about Vienna

Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million (2.3 million within the metropolitan area, more than 25% of Austria's population), and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by population in the European Union. Vienna is host to many major international organizations such as the United Nations and OPEC. Vienna lies in the east of Austria and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Founded around 500 BC, Vienna was originally a Celtic settlement. In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2005 an Economist Intelligence Unit study of 127 world cities ranked it first equal with Vancouver for the quality of life. This assessment was mirrored by the Mercer Survey in 2009.
Art and culture have a long tradition in Vienna, including theater, opera, classical music and fine arts. The Burgtheater is considered one of the best theaters in the German-speaking world alongside its branch, the Akademietheater. The Volkstheater Wien and the Theater in der Josefstadt also enjoy good reputations. There is also a multitude of smaller theaters, in many cases devoted to less mainstream forms of performing arts, such as modern, experimental plays or cabaret.
Vienna is also home to a number of opera houses, including the Theater an der Wien, the Staatsoper and the Volksoper, the latter being devoted to the typical Viennese operetta. Classical concerts are performed at well known venues such as the Wiener Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Wiener Konzerthaus. Many concert venues offer concerts aimed at tourists, featuring popular highlights of Viennese music (particularly the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss).
In recent years, the Theater an der Wien has become widely known for hosting premieres of musicals, although it has recently devoted itself to the opera again. The most successful musical by far was "Elisabeth", which was later translated into several other languages and performed all over the world. The Haus der Musik ("house of music") opened in 2000.

In Vienna

The YPAS Choir had a city tour of Vienna today, followed by rehersal in the magnificent Stephansdom.  They are now back on the ship for a Viennese dinner before it's off to the concert tonight at 8:30 PM.

Youth Performing Arts School Touring Choir Concert Announcement on the Internet

Dear travelers of the Youth Performing Arts School Touring Choir,
Please check out the concert announcement about your performance at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna on Wednesday, April 6 at www.kunstkultur.com!

Cruise Impressions - Jeff Metcalf

I’m sitting in my stateroom looking out at the Danube river float by as we sail from Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, on our way to Vienna.  As the beautiful countryside moves past, I reflect on the experiences I’ve had in the last couple of days, I know that the experiences of this trip will be treasures I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.

My wife Missy and I are on a cruise up the Danube with the Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS).  Last night we were treated to a concert as we sat in the lounge sailing out of Budapest to Bratislava.  I’m sure they are looking forward to performing in some of the fantastic venues throughout this journey, and our whole group will be treated to one tomorrow night in Vienna.  Vienna!!  I hate to brag, but as you watch American Idol, I’ll be in VIENNA watching a live performance choir in a cathedral in VIENNA!  How AWESOME is THAT!!

As they sang to us on the ship I was recalling several travel experiences I had while I was in high school.  I can only imagine how phenomenal the performance experiences will be, but I know from my own experiences that these kids are getting something much more.  When you are immersed in other cultures, see the history, interact with the local people, taste the food, you take home something far greater than any classroom could possibly deliver.  In many ways the world becomes smaller, but it also opens up doors to things you never even thought about.  This perspective was a shift in my world view when I was that age, and I know they will feel and appreciate the difference as they talk with friends who are not yet traveled.

We visited the Fisherman’s Bastion and took in a wonderful view of the Danube from the top of the hill, then toured Matthias Church.  Apparently Mozart spent several years in this area, and the guide pointed out the concert hall, a stones throw from the President’s Palace.  Visiting places like these you begin to realize that the age of the buildings and depth of history is greater than the age of our own country!  200 years ago seems “old”, but it is a flash in the pan compared to what you see right before your eyes.

* Budapest is the merger of “Buda” and “Pest”.  The old city of Buda is built on the Northern side of the Danube on “Buda hill”.

Today we woke up just in time to watch as the ship went through a 64 foot lock.  In fact the lock was so tall that we couldn’t look up from our window and see the sky for a good 10 to 15 minutes!  This got us up river and into Bratislava, where we took a city tour and explored the town.

I saw several of us from the ship at St. Martins Dom, a beautiful cathedral built in towering Romanesque architecture, and known for its ornate sculptures.  A large bronze statue dominated one corner standing 30 or more feed high, while numerous small wooden sculptures of animals playing instruments decorated the choir loft.  A unique treat was being able to go below the cathedral down into the crypt and see a variety caskets, ornate encasement, and simple bricked up plots that covered hundreds of years, and were hundreds of years old.

The food on this journey has been incredible!  If you have a less than adventurous palette, there is a good flavor of American style food here.  But to literally taste the experience, flavors of Hungary and Slovakia have been a large part of the meal plan.  I’ve personally enjoyed the tasting of local wines and beers from the places we’ve visited.  If you are really into food, you can get the history and details of the dish, brew, and vintage, adding to the excitement of your sensory experiences!

Traveling with an Incantato group has been nothing short of phenomenal.  Everything has all been accounted for.  Unlike traveling alone, where you really need to plan for everything, you really have the opportunity to “happen into greatness.”  I am eagerly anticipating the remainder of our trip as we make our way to Prague!