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Three Choirs Music Festival with Saga Holidays

Activities:	Music tour
Holiday Provider:	Saga Holidays
Area(s):	Europe    England
Location:	Hereford & district, Herefordshire
Reference:	1836

months available

August

Facilities & Awards

Description

Three Choirs Music Festival with Saga Holidays.  4 nights half-board from £649.  Originally held over two days in September, the Three Choirs Festival is probably the oldest music festival in Europe, with references and publicity dating back to 1719.

During your four nights’ holiday you enjoy five included concerts as part of the 2009 Three Choirs Festival, an included Spinet Recital by your music host, Jean Phillips on the first evening and a half-day excursion.

Please note: All evening performances take place in Hereford Cathedral but afternoon performances take place at other venues in and around the city. Transport is included to all venues.

Your holiday programme

Departure date - Friday 7 August 2009
Settle into your hotel during the afternoon before your included dinner and a spinet recital by your host, Jean Phillips.

Saturday 8 August
This morning you will have the opportunity to join an included half-day excursion to Sudeley Castle before an afternoon at leisure. After an early included dinner you will attend the first of your festival concerts in Hereford cathedral.

Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius
Festival Chorus
Philharmonia Orchestra

Sunday 9 August
After a morning at leisure and an included lunch you will be escorted to your second concert at Wyastone Leys, near Monmouth:

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

After the concert you return to Hereford with time for private exploration and refreshment (not included) before your evening concert in the cathedral:

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto
Stravinsky: Le sacré du printemps
Philharmonia Orchestra

Monday 10 August
After a morning at leisure and an included lunch you will be escorted to Tewkesbury Abbey for your fourth concert:

Bach: Mass in B minor

Returning to Hereford, there will be time to attend Evensong in the cathedral and to have a meal (not included) before the final concert in the cathedral:

Haydn: Te Deum
Finzi: Clarinet Concerto
Britten: Spring Symphony
Festival Chorus
Philharmonia Orchestra

Tuesday 11 August
After breakfast it is time to say farewell to fellow guests and travel home.

Departure date - Tuesday 11 August 2009
Settle into your hotel during the afternoon before your included dinner and a spinet recital by your host, Jean Phillips.

Wednesday 12 August
After a morning at leisure and an included lunch you will be escorted to your first performance of the festival:

Schubert: Die Winterreise
James Oxley
Caroline Dowdle

There will be time for private exploration in Hereford and for refreshments (not included) before your evening concert in the cathedral:

Handel: Israel in Egypt
Combined Choirs of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford cathedrals
Academy of Ancient Music

Thursday 13 August
After a morning at leisure and an included lunch you will be escorted to your third concert in which the Tippett Quartet will perform works by Haydn and Mendelssohn.  There will be time to attend Evensong in Hereford cathedral and to have a meal (not included) before your evening concert in the cathedral:

Poulenc: Gloria
McCabe: Songs of the Garden (orchestral version – world première)
Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs)

Friday 14 August
This morning you will have the opportunity to join an included half-day excursion to Sudeley Castle before an afternoon at leisure. After an early included dinner you will attend the last of your festival concerts in Hereford cathedral:

Mendelssohn: Elijah

Saturday 15 August
After breakfast it is time to say farewell to fellow guests and travel home.

Your Host - Jean Phillips
Jean studied at the Royal College of Music, London. She is a concert pianist who specialises in playing period keyboard instruments and is also a lecturer, teacher, broadcaster and writer

Sudeley Castle (half day)
Set against the magnificent scenery of the Cotswold Hills, Sudeley castle is steeped in history. With royal connections stretching across a thousand years it has played an important role in the changing and turbulent history of England.  Once home to Queen Katherine Parr, the last and only surviving wife of Henry VIII, the castle was later to figure in the life of Lady Jane Grey, Queen Elizabeth I and King Charles I, whose nephew Prince Rupert established his headquarters here during the Civil War.  Destroyed by Oliver Cromwell, the castle lay ruined and derelict for 200 years – a romantic situation that attracted many visitors, including King George III - before being bought in 1837 by John and William Dent, members of the eponymous Worcestershire glove making company. They started an ambitious restoration programme which was continued by their nephew, John Coucher Dent when he inherited the property in 1855. The present gardens owe much to his wife, Emma.  The castle is now the home of the Dent-Brocklehursts and Lord and Lady Ashcombe who are dedicated to the continuing restoration and regeneration of the gardens.

Your Hotel
The Cheltenham Chase Hotel QQQQ, England - 4 nights half-board from £649
Set among 15 acres of beautiful grounds, this hotel is located six miles from Regency Cheltenham and the city of Gloucester.

• 122 bedrooms
• Hunter’s Bar and Lounge
• Hardy’s Restaurant
• Health and fitness centre
• Indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam room
 
All 122 bedrooms have a a television, telephone, tea and coffee making facilites, hairdryer and trouser press There is 24-hour room service available.  Enjoy half-board meals in the hotel’s restaurant.

Please note:
On August 7 departure, dinner will be included at the hotel on days one and two, with lunch included at the hotel on days three and four.
On August 11 departure, dinner will be included at the hotel on days one and four, with lunch included at the hotel on days one and three.

About Saga Holidays
Saga Holidays is where the Saga Group began more than 50 years ago, with Sidney De Haan's launch of low-cost, off-peak trips first to Folkestone and other British destinations, and later to worldwide resorts too.

We have always maintained that to serve our fast-growing 50+ market effectively, we should not only offer excellent value-for-money, but also reflect the changing values and aspirations of what is an increasingly sophisticated and experienced group. As a result, we have long been committed to developing holidays which break many of the boundaries seen elsewhere in the travel industry.

more details

Date:	Friday August 7th & Tuesday August 11th, 2009
Duration:	4 nights
Level:
Price range:	From: £649
Price incudes:	Accommodation: yes Flights: no Meals: some
Price excludes:	Travel insurance, some meals, personal expenses, tips
Travel booking service included:	available
Excursions available:	yes Please see tour details
Group size:	n/a
Suitable for children:	no
Pets welcome:	no
Holiday customisable:	no
Telephone:
Fax:
Web:	Visit Holiday Provider's Website
Contact:	Contact this advertiser
Address:	Saga Holidays The Saga Building Enbrook Park Folkestone Kent CT20 3SE United Kingdom
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