Incantato Concerts - Boutique Performance Tours: June 2009

6/30/2009

"Siete veramente bravi!" - third SCS Touring Choir Sicily concert enchants audience

What better place to present the third and final concert in Italian soil for the SCS Touring Choir then the Duomo di San Giorgio in Modica: On June 30, the 43 singers under the direction of Mrs. Arlene Jacobs from Akron, Ohio enchanted the audience at the main cathedral of the UNESCO World Heritage town during their 2009 Incantato Tour of Sicily and Malta. "Siete veramente bravi", the locals told the choir ("you are truly very good") and the asked for "Bis, Bis, Bis" (Encore, Encore, Encore) long before the concert was over. Again, the Italian folk songs were audience favorites and several of the older people heartily sang along.
The group is off to Malta where they sing at on July 1 at 6:30 pm at Santa Helen's Church in Birkirkara.

SCS Touring Choir Concert at San Giorgio Duomo in Modica on June 29 at 7:30 pm

The southeast area of Sicily is universally recognized as the capital of Baroque art, music and architecture influences. And the San Giorgio Duomo in Modica, the third concert venue for the SCS Touring Choir on its 2009 Incantato Sicily and Malta Performance tour, is frequently described as the monument and reported symbol of the late Baroque architectural style that characterizes all of this city. The art historian Maurizio Fagiolo dell'Arco said that the church may be inserted

between the seven wonders in the baroque world. The touring choir will be performing their "Sing!Kanta!Canta" concert programm in the natural acoustics of San Giorgio on June 30 at 7:30 PM.This performance concludes the concert series on Italian soil as the groups departs on July 1 via ferry boat to Malta for three more performances and two cultural exchanges.

6/29/2009

Impressions from the SCS Touring Choir Concert in Noto

SCS Touring Choir Concert at San Carlo al Corso in Noto on June 29 at 8:30 pm

It's another concert day for Summit in Sicily! On June 29 at 8:30 PM, the SCS Touring Choir under the direction of Mrs Arlene Jacobs is presenting the second formal concert of their 2009 Incantato Performance at the Church of San Carlo al Corso. The Church of San Carlo al Corso was dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo - the church of the convent of the Jesuits of Noto. The construction of the building began in 1730, the church is designed a longitudinal plan with three naves covered by a barrel-vaulted and divided by half.

6/28/2009

First SCS Concert on 2009 Incantato Performance Tour a huge success - full house and great sound

Just a short post to let you know that the first SCS Touring Choir Concert on the 2009 Incantato Performance Tour to Sicily & Malta was a huge success. The singers had a full house at the beautiful church of Santa Cantarina in Taormina - the audience actually was even listening from outside as all seats were long taken. Some people even insisted on sitting down during rehearsal and stayed until the very end. Monsignore (Father) Cesare thanked the group from Akron, Ohio for their inspiring performance and joined in the minute-long applause from the mostly Sicilian audience. Favorites were Younger's Kyrie Eleison, Shiru, Dirait-on, Shiru and the encore spiritual. The audience cheered the choir on as they sang two Italian folk songs. More pictures and videos will follow. It surely was "wunderbar" and guess what I discovered on my way home. Buena notte, good-night from Italy --- Sandra

For a video of "La Barchetta", visit www.youtube.com/incantatotours

What do SCS and Michael Jackson have in common? They are top news in Malta

Have a look at this very special story on the SCS Touring Choir, but do get your Maltese dictionary out when you click on this website

Impressions from the SCS Touring Choir Concert in Taormina

6/26/2009

First Impressions from the 2009 Incantato Performance Tour for the Summit Touring Choir

Finally here we are, said Dr. Frank Jacobs as the group of 52 from Akron, Ohio got off the bus in Malta's capital city Valetta. And a pleasant surprise awaited the SCS Touring Choir at the Phoenicia Hotel. Icecold water and fresh Maltese pastizzi awaited the travelers in the lush gardenf of the 5 star Grand Hotel that kindly had offered to host them for the few hours on the island prior to catching the ferry boat to Sicily - and the group very much appreciated the warm welcome. If it only hadn't been so hot this day. After being offered a cooler place in the lobby bar, the choir thanked the staff with two Italian songs.

What's Malta's favorite savory pastry?

SCS arrived safe and only a little late in Frankfurt - On the plane to Malta now

The SCS Touring Choir 2009 Sicily & Malta Incantato Performance Tour is off to a good start. The group arrived almost 90 minutes late in Frankfurt, but their carrier Lufthansa was kind enough to hold the connecting flight to Malta and so the 52 travelers from Akron, Ohio are now on their way to the beautiful island. Upon arrival, Tour Manager Stefania will pick them up and bring them to the Phoenicia Hotel where a suprise Pastizzi Tasting awaits them in the beautiful lush garden area. At 6 pm, the singers, their director and chaperones will board the ferry to Sicily.
More updates will follow as the tour continues.

Warm-up in Malta - SCS Touring Choir sings Santa Lucia

6/24/2009

SCS Touring Choir in the news - Again ; )

Now the SCS Touring Choir is also on the front page of the Gozo News.
The Malta Times printed the following story about the SCS Touring Choir Journey to Malta - enjoy:

"Sing! Kanta! Canta!" is the theme of the 2009 international Performance Tour that brings 43 young singers from Akron, Ohio (USA) toSicily and Malta from June 26 to July 6, 2009.

The SCS Touring Choir is directed by Mrs Arlene Jacobs who has been teaching most of the singers for five or more years as part of the choral training at the Summit Choral Society. The touring choir is the top ensemble of this privately funded non-profit music school and for many of the girls and boys, the journey abroad is also their departure from the program as they graduate high school and leave home for college.

The choir toured China, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic in recent years .

"Originally the group wanted to go to Greece, but it didn't take long to change their mind and bring them to Malta - I just had to tell them about my experiences, the wonderful people and show them how stunningly beautiful the islands and venues are" said Sandra Weinacht, founder of Incantato Tours, a US-based boutique performance tour company. She was here as part of the first school exchange between Germany and the Malta in 1990.

The choir brings a repertoire of classical and modern works from European and American composers and also an original composition written especially for the journey to the islands by American composer Dorn Younger who will be joining the choir on tour. When collaboration with Schola Cantorum Jubilate of Gozo emerged, the American singers added a composition by Maltese composer Paul Portelli to their repertoire.

After three concerts in Sicily, the SCS Touring Choir arrives in Malta on July 1 and is going to be the featured guest choir for Mass and a benefit concert to aid the Richmond Foundation at St. Helen's Church in Birkirkara (6:30 pm). On July 2 in the afternoon, the American students will be visiting the Johann Strauss Music School in Valetta for a meeting with members of the school choir and staff.

Gozo is the destination for the singers on Friday, July 3. After sightseeing in the morning, the choir heads to the National Shrine of Ta' Pinu to meet with members of the Gozitan Schola Cantorum Jubilate.

The choir's last performance will be at St. John's Co-Cathedral on July 4 at 6 pm when the singers are the featured guest choir for Mass.

And here is the link from the Malta Time if you would like to see it online: http://www.timesofmalta.com/life/view/20090624/features/american-choir-for-malta-tour

And the GozoNews article: http://gozonews.com/featured/sing-kanta-canta-us-choir-to-visit-gozo-in-july/

6/23/2009

Murrieta City Choir Performance Tour 2009 - Highlight Concert

6/22/2009

Highlight concert in Lucca for the Murrieta City Choir 2009

The Murrieta City Choir under the direction of Mrs. Jaclyn Johnson will partake in an exchange concert with a local Italian choir, "Il Baluardo" tonight, June 22 at the Santa Maria Corteorlandini Church in Lucca, Italy at 9PM. "Il Baluardo" is a small group composed of 13 people and is directed by Mr. Elio Antichi.

The Murrieta City Choir sings in beautiful cathedrals in Bella Italia during the 2009 Performance Tour

The main feature for the 2009 Murrieta City Choir performance tour is taking place TONIGHT, June 22 in the Santa Maria Corteorlandini Chiesa at 9PM.

Note dal Cielo
Notes from Heaven

The Murrieta City Choir
da Murrieta,California - USA
Director: Mrs. Jaclyn Johnson

Friday, June 19th, 6:45 pm Mass in Basilica di San Marco – Venezia

Sunday, June 21st, 3:30 pm Informal Concert in San Agostino Chiesa, Siena
Monday, June 22nd, 9:00 pm - Concert in Santa Maria Corteolandini Chiesa, with the vocal group "Il Baluardo” of Lucca
Wednesday, June 24th, 10:30 am – Papal Audience in Piazza di San Pietro – Vaticano, Roma

Thursday, June 25th, 12:00 pm – Mass in Basilica di San Pietro - Vaticano, Roma

6/18/2009

The SCS Concert Postcard is fresh of the press

6/12/2009

Bellissima Sicilia - Impressions from Sicily

6/10/2009

SCS Touring Choir Performance Tour 2009 - Performance Overview

Dear SCS Touring Choir singers, here is an overview of your confirmed performance appointments...enjoy!

June 28th at 8:00 PM Concert at Santa Caterina Duomo, Taormina

June 29th at 8:30 PM Concert at Chiesa di San Carlo al Corso, Noto

June 30th at 7:30 PM Concert at Duomo San Giorgio, Modica

July 1st at 6:30 PM SCS Touring Choir sings High Mass and presents a Benefit Concert at St. Helen Church, Birkirkara

July 3rd at 7:30 PM Concert at Ta' Pinu Basilica, Gozo

July 4 at 6:00 PM SCS Touring Choir sings High Mass at St. John’s Co- Cathedral, Valetta

6/09/2009

The SCS Touring Choir 2009 Incantato Poster

6/08/2009

About the SCS Touring Choir

The Summit Children’s Touring Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Arlene Jacobs is touring Malta and Sicily this summer, June 25th – July 6th 2009. They serve as performance ambassadors for the whole of the Summit Choral Society in Akron, Ohio.

In recent years they have been involved in performances of such large scale works as Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers, Verdi’s Quattro Pezzi Sacri and William Mathias' Jonah. They have also been prominently featured in the Summit Choral Society’s three major commissioned works one of which was premiered in Beijing, China in collaboration with the China Children’s Choir of Beijing and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir.

During the past decade, the SCS Touring Choir has been featured in state, regional and national choral conferences. They have appeared as part of international music festivals in England, Hawaii, China and Italy and in June of 2007 experienced their first independent international tour giving concerts to capacity crowds in the German cities of Speyer and Chemnitz; Czech Republic cities of Chulmec and Prague; and in Vienna, Austria singing High Mass at the famous Stefansdom as well as a benefit concert in St. Anna Kirche – proceeds of which went to the children’s cancer unit of Vienna’s St. Anna Hospital. This coming summer the SCC Touring choir will embark on their second independent international tour to Malta and Sicily in the heart of the Mediterranean.

Endorsements for Incantato Tours

“Dear Incantato, As you know, I’ve had the pleasure of being on five of your tours. Just when I think you can’t possibly top the previous tour, you do. Your attention to detail is remarkable. From departure to return everything is superbly planned – air and ground transportation, top-notch accommodations, food and most importantly, premier performance venues. You definitely deliver on your “boutique” commitment. As an educator, the most important aspect of an international tour is that my students return having had a life-changing experience. This has been the outcome every time I’ve been with your company. Equally important to me is that my guests also have an experience of a lifetime. Not only do you deliver on your commitment to making their experience extra special, you take extra care in understanding their individual needs. My guests rang my phone off the hook when we returned from Eastern Europe last year (yes, they still use phones!). To your potential clients who might read this, I want them to know that if they’ve ever considered taking an instrumental ensemble on an international tour, they’d be missing out on a fabulous opportunity if they didn’t contact Incantato to discuss the possibilities. My last two tours with Incantato included a choir and jazz ensemble. The sacred performance venues for the choir were everything history books have written about. The jazz venues were outstanding – some of the premier jazz clubs in Europe! The level of performance that my students rose to was off the charts – additional validation of my commitment to education and proof that an experience like this is a major game changer to every student musician. This combination tour was in many ways better than just a choir tour or just a jazz tour. It offered a lot of variety to display the diversity of our music department and provided the students a unique peer-to-peer support system, by being both performers and audience members. You did it again!!!”
Richard Burchard, Composer (Gentry Music, Pavane Publishing, National Music Publishers, Hinshaw Music) and Educator (Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY)

“The trip was everything I hoped for and more. Everything promised was delivered. I realize that this tour gave you a number of challenges due to the low number of participants, but you always seemed to find a way to make things happen. I appreciate the positive ‘Can Do’ attitude. You showed what a tour company can do when it really cares about the quality of the performing venues and comfort and satisfaction of its clients.”
Bruce Koliha, BelCanto Choir, Performance Tour to Central Europe 2010

“Our tour with Incatanto was unforgettable. They were able to not only secure for us the most popular and magnificent venues but also the hidden gems and special places only a company with passion and dedication can find. My Women’s Ensemble and Handbells (and even the parents) are still talking about the trip and all the wonderful memories. It has invigorated my program and I am deeply proud to have done business with Sandra and the entire team at Incantato.”
Brian Dehn, Cornelia Connelly, Performance Tour to England and Ireland 2010

“Once again, thanks to you and all the Incantato team for the great tour you arranged for CIC this summer. I truly feel that Incantato delivered a lot for our money on this trip. All of the hotels were nice ones with good locations. What a great idea to give us a night in Vienna near the Prater! And the concert venues were varied and all beautiful. The dinner cruise on our last night was magical and we enjoyed the food, the company, and the views. Thanks for making this a part of our tour. You are so skillful in finding the unique, off the beaten path, towns and villages. These are some of the best memories.”
Sue Klausmeyer, Carolina International Chorale, Performance Tour to Central Europe Summer 2010

"Dear Incantato-Team, the Choir of the Sound and I want to thank you for all you did to make our tour to Northern Italy so incredible. I’ve worked with many other tour companies, but this trip exceeded even my most optimistic expectations. The singers will remember their time in Italy the rest of their lives. To have had the opportunity to perform in those amazing cathedrals with large appreciative audiences was truly memorable. In reflecting on our trip this year, I realized that past tours that I had considered successful fell short when compared to the trip that you put together for us. Incantato provided a consistently high level of organization and personal attention both during the planning stages and on the trip. Other exceptional aspects of the tour were:
- The right amount and high quality of the performances. Our concerts and masses were wonderful.
- Outstanding tour managers that were a wonderful combination of knowledgeable, flexible, personable and fun!
- Beautiful posters and flyers as well as superb advertising of the concerts that resulted in large audiences
- Excellent pacing of the tour—thanks for anticipating when we would need some time to recover
- The included activities were interesting and created a change of pace for the singers
- Great meals, consistently. My vegetarians were very pleased also.
- The choir manager and I are very appreciative of your personal attention to our questions during the planning stages of the trip.
- Terrific bus drivers who made us feel safe and who enjoyed the group
It was a pleasure to work with everyone at your organization and I would be happy to share my experience with Incantato with other potential clients."
Judy Filibeck, Director "Choir of the Sound", Seattle, WA

"Having recently returned from a successful tour of Ireland, I can say without a doubt that this was my finest tour experience. I have used several different tours companies in my years of performance tours, and none have matched the attention to detail, the thoughtful planning, excellent venues & marketing, meal & hotels, and overall management by Incantato Tours. Their pricing was excellent, and when the US currency dropped, they did not raise any of our cost. I would recommend this company to anyone planning a tour, whether they are a large professional ensemble, or a small church choir."
Nathan J. Kreitzer - Director of Choral Activities Santa Barbara City College, CA

"It was a true pleasure working with Sandra and Incantato on our Italy Tour 2008. She is very detail oriented and surpassed many of our expectations. I would recommend Incantato to anyone planning a concert or performance tour."
Rick Christophersen, Director Conservatory of Music at Chapman University, Orange, CA

“My sincerest and deepest thanks to you and all your staff for making this tour for the Quire of Voyces our very best yet! Your attention to every detail, special offerings each day, fine accommodations and outstanding tour guides all made for a very gratifying experience for all of us.”
Susan Kuehn, Quire of Voyces Performance Tour to Italy, June 2010

"I have only wonderful things to say about Incantato Tours! The UGA Chamber Choir traveled to Italy in 2009. From the marvelous concert venues to the excellently managed tour, this was really a dream trip. The highly professional and expert Incantato tour manager who was with us throughout the entire trip, the fantastic bus drivers, and the knowledgeable city tour guides all helped to make the tour run exceptionally smoothly. Probably most important was that this entire trip was really a specialty tour designed especially for this particular choral group. Incantato Tours made it possible for us to sing in some very remarkable places, including the Sistine Chapel. Planning a tour takes incredible dedication and Incantato Tours would definitely be my choice again!"
Dr. Martha Thomas, UGA School of Music, Athens, GA

“We had the wonderful opportunity to go to Spain, sing in great venues, experience an amazing culture, and eat great food. There is always a special element of magic that happens with Incantato Tours.”
Andrew Crane, Director of Choral and Vocal Activities, California State University, San Bernardino;Performance Tour to Spain, June 2010

“Incantato Tours has created the most musically satisfying tour we have ever taken. For the singers touring is about the music in the wonderful cathedrals and the exchanges with the local kids. A toast to Incantato for fulfilling your dream, and for making so many people so happy - now and in the future.”
Arlene Jacobs, SCS Touring Choir, Akron, OH

“Incantanto facilitated maximum educational, religious, and just plain fun experiences among youth and adults alike.”
Ed Bettendorf, Western Reserve Academy, Performance Tour to Italy March 2010

"There are at least four essential ingredients for a successful and rewarding concert tour for young people and their sponsors —appropriate concert settings, advance publicity, opportunities for learning about the areas visited (including exchanges with the local youth), and good logistical planning. The recent tour of the Akron, Ohio Summit Children's Touring Choir through Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria was successful indeed. The venues were most impressive and beautiful. The publicity produced large responsive and appreciative crowds as well as mayor’s receptions with recital opportunities at city halls. The knowledgeable tour guides and the visits with local youth and choirs provided an experience for the choir members that will not be soon forgotten. The schedule for travel, meals, concerts and touring were planed and flexible enough to accommodate for unexpected delays without loss of any scheduled tour, exchange or concert. Finally, a "shadow tour" of parents and sponsors was also a success and allowed those who wished to do so to attend every reception, recital and concert while being guided on a separate tour, well planned and executed. As one who worked with Sandra Weinacht and her staff at Incantato I can assure you it would not have been such a success without their planning and execution of our tour. They are to be commended and I would highly recommend Incantato Tours to anyone considering a group tour, especially a performance tour.
C.A. Ridge Jr., A Summit Choral Society Sponsor

“Incantato Tours impresses me because their clients come first. Their advantage lies in the selection of venues, impressive itineraries and the ability to tend to details.”
Dr. Gary L. Unruh, Professor Emeritus, CSU Fresno

“I can't speak highly enough about Incantato Tours. They were with us every step of the way, tailoring a tour that was perfect for our wants, needs and budget. I would recommend Incantato to anyone serious about a choir tour, especially if you want a tour that provides wonderful indelible memories of the best that a tour can be.”
Stan DeWitt, Minister of Music, Grace First Presbyterian Church, Long Beach, CA;
Performance Tour to Ireland, April 2010

"Of the eight international tours I've taken as both singer and conductor, last summer's CSULB tour to Naples, Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast with Incantato was the best organized and the most fun. Our tour manager and guides were professional, wonderful teachers, and our venues were beautiful. We saw stunning posters for our events everywhere we walked. The marketing for our concerts was incredible! Our audiences were huge and exuberant, and Incantato made all the pieces fell into place beautifully. Thank you Incantato Tours for the personal attention, for the flexibility that allowed us to choose exactly where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see. We're already planning for 2010."
Dr. Jonathan Talberg - Director of Choral, Vocal, and Opera Studies, Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University, Long Beach

"Canticum Novum, The tour choir of Central Church in Phoenix just completed its most successful tour in 35 years of concertizing abroad, solely due to the excellent management of Incantato. Their attention to every detail, response to every request, superb International Staff, and excellence in concert management are singularly distinctive. Theirs is a professional concert management group who are also excellent providers of travel services. That is a distinctive difference. Travel agents are for travel; Incantato provides concert management in stunning venues, and the organizational minutia supporting these artistic events in addition to fine-tuned travel experiences filled with special amenities. If music making in superb acoustical spaces to wonderfully receptive audiences is your priority, Incantato is the professional tour group for your ensemble."
Donald. E. Morse, Central United Methodist Church, Phoenix, AZ

"The San Marino Chamber Singers have been very fortunate to travel several times already with the director of Incantato Tours, Ms. Sandra Weinacht. She was our personal tour and concert manager when we traveled to Italy in 2005 and then designed, organized and oversaw our tour to Central Europe in 2007. It was another huge success. Aside from selecting and working with prime venues only, Ms. Weinacht's staff also put in great time and effort in promoting our concerts through beautiful designed and professionally printed concert posters and cards. Incantato's marketing of our performances became highly visible to the public and contributed to the success of every concert. I have been more than impressed with their professionalism and highly recommend Incantato Tours to everyone. They definitely cater to each choir member's personal needs and watch every detail. The hotels were carefully selected, the meals were beyond our expectation. If there were ever any problems, they were dealt with beautifully and professionally on the spot. We were very impressed with how well the whole tour was executed. The next time we go back to Europe, it will be with Incantato Tours."
Howard Cheung, San Marino Chamber Choir, CA

"Well, you did it. I don't know how, but you did it! You accepted the challenge, and performed a small miracle. My hat is off to you and Ted for creating what is, for me, the most musically satisfying tour we have taken. All of the kids who have been on the three tours (Italy, China, and Europe) agreed, hands down, that this was the best ever. For them it's about the music in the wonderful cathedrals and the exchanges with the local kids. In festival-type situations they are not really "up close and personal" with other kids - they're mostly rehearsing. At any rate, a toast to Incantato, to you and Ted for fulfilling your dream, and for making so many people so happy - now and in the future. Thank you!"
Arlene Jacobs, Artistic Director, Summit Children’s Touring Choir and Co-Founder of the Summit Choral Society (SCS)

"Incantato stresses the small town experience as well as the traditional larger cities, but it wasn't until I looked out on the valley and town of Salice Terme spread out below us as we enjoyed a wonderful home-cooked Italian meal that I truly understood or appreciated that element. At that moment, "Italy" became much more than a series of famous cities to check off my list; it became a real world, a place of rolling hills as well as marble cathedrals, time-honored traditions and modern technology. A true mix of culture and heritage unknown and unappreciated by those in the United States --- until you arrive! The experience we had of singing in the Sistine Chapel is absolutely indescribable, yet I must try. It's been almost three months since the last note of Gregorio Allegri's Miserere echoed off Botticelli's walls and Michelangelo's awesome ceiling, but to the choir it is still as vivid a memory as if we sang there last night. I can't thank Sandra and the Incantato Team enough for arranging such a poignant moment"
David Okun, student at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, Athens, GA

6/30/2009

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6/26/2009

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6/08/2009

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