American Celebration of Music in An exclusive concert series for performance ensembles

organized by oland, about the size of New Mikołaj Kopernik (Nicolas Coper- PMexico, has been one of the nicus), Teodor Józef Korzeniowski fastest countries to rebound from (the author Joseph Conrad), com- the many years of Soviet domina- posers Fryderyk Chopin, Krzysztof tion during the Cold War. Visitors Penderecki, and Henryk Górecki, are speechless when they step into and the scientist Marie Curie (nee Krakow’s vibrant main square or Skłodowska), to name a few. ’s colorful Old Town. Poland has some breathtaking medieval oland is historically pro-Amer- towns that show off its warm and Pican. Of course, their big welcoming people, dynamic history, and striding-into-the-future optimism.

he American Celebration of TMusic is a special annual perfor- mance-tour program, co-sponsored by local governments, music asso- ciations, community organizations, and tourist boards around the globe. In many countries this has devel- oped into a prestigious, recognized, neighbors (Russia and Germany) year-long concert-series festival. have been their historic enemies. In Recognition of this festival facilitates 1989, when Poland finally won its greater access to performance ven- freedom, many Poles only half-joked ues, official publicity, generally very that they should apply to become successful concert arrangements, and the 51st state of the United States! the ability to touch local cultures in a way that may not be done through magine your group performing in other affiliations. This equates to ISt. Mary’s on Krakow’s more meaningful musical and emo- main square or perhaps in the ca- tional experiences for participating thedral in Wawel . In Wroclaw performance ensembles. (formerly the German city of Bre- slau) or in Poznan, many churches, oland is known for producing and concert halls await Psome of the world’s great intel- visiting ensembles! lectuals, humanists, and musicians. These include Karol Wojtyła (the late and great John Paul II), An Exclusive Concert Series Sample Tour Warsaw / Czestochowa / Wieliczka / Krakow / Auschwitz Day One • Departure via scheduled airline service to Warsaw, Poland Day Two: Warsaw • Arrive in Warsaw • Meet your MCI Tour Manager, who will assist the group to the awaiting motorcoach for a panoramic tour of Warsaw’s highlights. Take a tour of the Royal Castle, seat of kings of Poland. It was here that the Third of May Constitution was promulgat- ed in 1791, the second constitution in the world, next to the US Constitution. The interior (300 rooms!) was carefully restored to look as it did centuries ago • Continue on to the historic Rynek () for time at leisure • Late afternoon hotel check-in • Evening Welcome Dinner and overnight Day Three: Warsaw • Breakfast at the hotel • Half-day sightseeing includes visits to the Cathedral of St. John, the Łazienki Park and Palace (the “Palace on the Water”), the Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto (erected in 1948 when the city was still in ruins), and the Monument to the 1944 Warsaw Uprising • Lunch on own • Enjoy an afternoon at leisure • Performance as part of the American Celebration of Music in Poland • Evening dinner and overnight Day Four: Warsaw / Czestochowa / Wieliczka / Krakow • Breakfast at the hotel • Transfer to Częstochowa for a guided tour that includes entrance to the Monastery of Jasna Góra. There, a monk will guide your visit to the Basilica of the Holy Cross and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which holds the Black Madonna, the monas- tery’s most precious treasure. Also see the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin, Knight’s Hall, Treasury, and Arsenal • Lunch on own • Continue to Wieliczka to see the underground world of the oldest Salt Mine in . Admire the gorgeous underground world of salt lakes, galleries and chapels created by many generations of Polish miners. See up to 20 excavated chambers on 3 levels, full of beautiful statues carved from salt • Then it is off to Krakow for dinner and overnight Day Five: Krakow • Breakfast at the hotel • A guided sightseeing tour of this ancient capital of Poland, a royal city on the , lying at the foot of Wawel, a limestone hill on whose peak rises a splendid royal palace and the Cathedral of Sts. Stanislaw and Waclaw. Start with the Royal Castle and Cathedral on the Wawel Hill, which was remodeled according to the new taste in the beginning of the 16th century. It is the place where Polish kings were crowned and buried • Lunch on own Standard Performance Tours in Poland • Afterwards, drive to the Old Town with the Main Market Square TOUR #1 (5 NIGHTS / 7 DAYS) and its magnificent houses and palaces. In the middle of the 2 nights in Warsaw, 3 nights in Krakow square is the Cloth Hall, built before 1349 but altered in the 16th century, with many shopping stalls inside. Also visit the TOUR #2 (6 NIGHTS / 8 DAYS) of St. Mary, located on the Main Market Square 5 nights in Krakow with excursions to Lagiewni- • Performance as part of the American Celebration of Music ki, Kalvaria Zebrzydowska, Wadowice, Aus- chwitz, Czestochowa, and Wieliczka in Poland • Evening dinner and overnight TOUR #3 (7 NIGHTS / 9 DAYS) 2 nights in Warsaw, 3 nights in Krakow, 2 nights Day Six: Krakow / Auschwitz in Wroclaw • Breakfast at the hotel TOUR #4 (8 NIGHTS / 10 DAYS) • Excursion to Auschwitz to take a tour of the famous Nazi camp. 2 nights in Warsaw, 3 nights in Krakow, 2 nights The death camp at Oswiecim was the largest Nazi death facto- in Wroclaw, 1 night in ry, where four million people, mostly Jews, perished. Auschwitz TOUR #5 (8 NIGHTS / 10 DAYS) consisted of several units, including the largest one at Brzezinka 2 nights in Berlin, 1 night in Leipzig, 2 nights in [Birkenau]. Of the millions of people brought there in the period Wroclaw, 3 nights in Krakow between 1940 and 1944, only 60 to 70 thousand utterly emaci- (8 NIGHTS / 10 DAYS) ated victims were alive at the time of liberation of the camp. At TOUR #6 2 nights in Warsaw, 3 nights in Krakow, 3 nights present, the National Museum of Oswiecim is situated on the in site of the former camp • Lunch on own • Return to Krakow for Farewell Dinner and overnight Day Seven: Depart for home Potential Performance Venues KRAKOW • Breakfast at the hotel St. Mary Church • Transfer to Krakow’s airport for return flight Peter & Paul’s Church These and all other Standard Tours may be viewed on our Franciscan Church St. Joseph Church website at www.musiccelebrations.com. Fully-customized tours Music University Concert Hall may also be created to meet your specific needs and interests. St. Katerina Church Palace of Niepolomice WALDOWICE “Poland is a beautiful country with beautiful people. I was delighted by those who Wadowice Basilica heard our concerts and were so appreciative. At one concert, in particular, the priest CZESTOCHOWA was so excited about hearing us sing that he actually encouraged applause during Monastery of Jasna Gora the mass! I was also touched by our visit to Auschwitz concentration camp. It is WROCLAW humbling to imagine the vastness of suffering that occurred in that place. I will also St. Mary Magdalene Polish National Cathedral never forget our tour of the salt mine and singing in a cathedral made of salt!” St. Elizabeth Church Leopoldinum Hall and Oratorium Marianum in Wro- - Alan & Gayle Heatherington, Master Singers claw University Wroclaw Philharmonic Hall WARSAW Church of the Holy Cross St. Stanislaw Kostka Church St. Anna Church Fryderyk Chopin Academy Concert Hall Warsaw Cathedral POZNAN Fara Jesuit Church Poznan Cathedral 1440 S. Priest Drive, Ste. 102 Tempe, AZ 85281-6952 Jesus Heart Church Toll-free: 800.395.2036 | Fax 480.894.5137 Franciscan Church www.musiccelebrations.com | [email protected]