The Mayfield Senior School Conservatory 2014 Arts Immersion Tour: March 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Call Time at LAX

Call time at LAX is 11.45am
Chaperones will be there to greet you.
We will not check in till all is accounted for.

We are offering a shuttle from MSS to LAX for parents who are unable to drop off their daughters. The fee is $25.00.

If you are interested please let me know before Monday.
Call time will be 9.30 am at MSS, if taking the shuttle from MSS.

The bus was just too costly

Please make sure your daughters have their Passports.

The tickets are electronic. We will all check in at the same time.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Mayfield Senior Tour Italy Itinerary light

Dear Travelers, Family and Friends of the Mayfield Senior School Conservatory Italy and Vatican 2012 Performance Tour. While the participants will be receiving a much more detailed version of the itinerary via the school, Ms. Darnell gave the go ahead to share some more information on the day to day activities here on the tour information website which will also feature updates from the actual tour. We sure hope you are all very excited and look forward to welcoming you in Europe.
Arriverderci, Sandra from currently Rome and the Incantato Tours Team

Bellisima Italia Wednesday, April 4 – Saturday, April 14, 2012
Mayfield Senior School of the Holy Child Jesus Conservatory for the Arts Performance Tour overview of daily activities

Day 1: Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Overnight flight to Italy via Germany

Day 2: Thursday, April 5, 2012
Benvenuti in bella Italia Incantato Tourmanager Ms. Stefania LaRosa will welcome the group and bring all travelers via private deluxe motor coach to Rieti. Check-in at Hotel Cavour will be followed by some free time to rest and an orientation tour of Rieti under the guidance of Ms. LaRosa. Special opportunity for Visual Arts students: Gather first impressions of the town and share those along with a recap of the journey from Los Angeles via Germany to Italy via the tour blog. Welcome dinner with Antipasto all’Italia, Tortiglioni all’Pomodoro, Insalata Mista, Dolce della Casa, Acqua e Pane. Overnight at Cavour Hotel

Day 3, Friday, April 6 - NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN ITALY
Good Friday in Rieti - Procession in Contigliano
Morning opportunity to attend Mass at the Cathedral followed by a city tour with a local expert guide. Visual Arts students participate in a special workshop with Ms. Betsy McCall, acclaimed visual artist and founding member of the ArtMonastery project. Ms. McCall will introduce her work and is open to starting a project with the MSS VA students that can be presented on Tuesday, April 10 as well as Friday, April 13 during the Arts in Motion Performances. Evening transfer to Contigliano with dinner at a local - most likely a special surprise guest will greet you here. Menu: Verdure Grigliate, Gratinate e Bruschette, Lasagna ai Carciofi, Dolce al Cucchiaio (Tiramisu) ai frutti di bosco. MSS students will witness the Processione del Cristo Morto a Contigliano. This will be an incredible opportunity for all participants of the tour, but also a special and unique highlight for documentation through the Visual Arts students. After the procession concludes, return transfer to Rieti

Day 4, Saturday, April 7
Florence & Tuscany excursion The capital city of Tuscany is a haven for artists and all members of the MSS group will be visiting Florence today. Late morning arrival in Florence is followed by an orientation walk under the guidance of your Tourmanager and by free time for lunch and shopping in chaperon groups. The guided tour of Florence showcases the highlights in the historical center with entrance to the Accademia Museum. Parallel activity for Visual Arts students: Visit to the Uffizi Museum. Evening return to Rieti for Dinner. Menu: Antipasto Rustico, Risotto mantecato con zucchine e salsiccia, dolce

Day 5, Sunday, April 8 - NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN ITALY
Assisi excursion with Basilica visits: “In the footsteps of Saint Francis”
The MSS group takes the scenic route through Umbria to hilltop Assisi and visits the Basilica's of St. Francis and St. Catherine with a local guide, then everyone enjoys some free time in the historical city center before returning to Rieti. Opportunity to attend Easter Mass before dinner. Menu: Zuppa di legumi del territorio, Fesa di vitella all reatina contorno, Semifreddo all’amaretto e cioccolato

Day 6, Monday, April 9 - NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN ITALY
Immersion Day at the ArtMonastery in Labro - Women's Chorale is the featured guest choir for Mass at the Cathedral
Transfer to ArtMonastery in Labro for a special welcome by the ArtMonks prior to the workshop. The ArtMonkettes will be teaching all MSS students together as well as separated in specialty groups. American dancer Julia Pond will be one of the special guests for the day, she is coming from London to meet the group and work with the dancers. In the late afternoon, all return to Rieti where at 6 pm a special Mass begins at the Cathedral featuring the Mayfield Senior School Woman’s Chorale followed by dinner. Menu: Frignacce pasta Sabinese style (mushrooms, black olives and tomato sauce), Cotoletta di pollo panata, Dessert

Day 7, Tuesday, April 10 Highlight performance at the Teatro
Arts in Motion Day with evening performance at the beautiful Teatro Flavio Vespasiano in Rieti
After a morning rehearsal and exchange with some local students that come back a day early from their break, the afternoon is at leisure. The Visual Artists will experience a drawing class with local painter Franco Bellardi at La Schola di Rieti. The evening then starts with a reeception at the Teatro by the Cultural Mayor of Rieti with light refreshments followed by the Art in Motion event. Tonight's dinner menu remains a secret at this time.

Day 8, Wednesday, April 11
Papal Audience & Vatican Visit
The MSS group attend and participates in the General Papal Audience on St. Peter‘s Square followed by a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Once the tour concludes in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Woman's Chorale proceeds to altar to prepare for Mass. Thereafter, all head to the hotel for check-in, dinner and overnight. Menu: Lasagna with meat sauce, roasted turkey roll with potatoes, Dessert dello chef

Day 9, Thursday, April 12
Rome City Tours and Incantato Farewell Party
Rome sightseeing with entrance to the Colloseum and Roman Forum is on today's agenda, also visits to Piazza Navona for lunch on own followed by free time for additional sightseeing, shopping. A very special Incantato dinner and farewell party takes place on Via Appia Antica.

Day 10, Friday, April 13
Exchange with Roman sister school & second Arts in Motion Event
Depart Hotel for a tour of Baroque Rome, see the beautiful squares of Fontana di Trevi as well as the Spanish Steps. Visit MSS’s sister school Sacro Cuore Trinita dei Monti and get situated in the Auditorio for the second Arts in Motion Event. Performance concludes with a meet & greet event - snacks and refreshments will be served The Mayfield group will have then visit the school and enjoy the unique views before entering the church for an afternoon Recital at Trinita dei Monti. Thereafter sightseeing continues with a visit to the Pantheon followed by free time for exploring and shopping followed by dinner. Menu: Insalatona ricca, Rigatoni Carbonara, Panna con salsa ai frutti di bosco

Day 11, Saturday, April 14
Return flight home

Mayfield Senior HS Student exchange with the Istituto Sacro Cuore, Rome on April 13

Trinità Dei Monti Istituto Sacro Cuore in Rome is one of the most prestigious Catholic schools in the city. Located in the building of the church of Trinità dei Monti, the convent, the cloister, the church and the eighteenth-century staircase at its feet are one of the most famous in Rome. Because of its artistic interest and its special ambiance to promote cultural and educational activities, it is an attraction for visitors around the world.
The Mayfield Senior School group will have the priviledge to visit this school and meet with the faculty and students on April 13th.

Upon arrival, the Mayfield Senior School students will have the chance to rehearse before the Italian students arrive. The older students of the Sacro Cuore school will welcome the Mayfield students with a song before then attending the show of the Mayfield students.
After this show, the Mayfield students will be able to visit the Sacro Cuore school and enjoy its unique scenic views of Rome. The school has an internal access to the Church of Trinità dei Monti, where the Mayfield students will have the opportunity to perform in the afternoon.
Naturally the entire exchange will be accompanied by Italian professors, particularly by the music teacher Maestro Osvaldo Guidotti.

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

The Mayfield Senior School Conservatory 2014 Arts Immersion Tour

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Call Time at LAX

Monday, March 26, 2012

Mayfield Senior Tour Italy Itinerary light

Mayfield Senior HS Student exchange with the Istituto Sacro Cuore, Rome on April 13

Italian Word of the Day

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