Mozart requiem weekend, Vienna with Nigel Perrin 2 - 5 December 2012

We are very excited about this one. Following the success of our Mozart Requiem concert in Salzburg last year we have a unique opportunity to sing the same piece in the famous Karlskirche in Vienna as a special anniversary tribute to Mozart.

The concert will take place at midnight on 4 December and will conclude at the hour of Mozart's death at 1.00 am on 5 December. The concert will feature a full professional orchestra and soloists.

Vienna, for many people the music capital of Europe, is a magical destination during Advent with Christmas markets in full flow and visiting choirs performing in the Town Hall. Vienna is always elegant, sophisticated, and cultured but December sees it at it's very best.

There will be ample time to explore the Christmas markets, buy some hand-made decorations, or sample some hot punch and grilled sausages. You will also want to experience the traditional Coffee Houses, visit the Spanish Riding School and the Imperial Palace, explore Vienna's excellent art museums - maybe even take in a concert. Please add on a day to your visit if you possibly can.

Our musical director
Nigel Perrin

Who is the weekend for?
This will be a larger than usual choir - to balance the orchestra – but places will still be limited so early application is advised. This is not a Bring & Sing event so you must have sung the work before, you must agree to learn your part properly beforehand and you must agree to attend the pre-event rehearsal which will be directed by Nigel Perrin in London on Saturday 10 November. Dispensations for overseas participants will be at the Musical Director's discretion.

The costs of staging a concert in such a prestigious venue will be substantial so, to make it more affordable for our singers, we are working with a local concert agency to help us promote the event and sell tickets.

If it has been a while since you sang the Requiem, you might want to consider buying one of the excellent ChoraLine rehearsal tapes/CDs available from Music Dynamics. (01242 679379). These are available for individual parts.

Rehearsals will begin at 9.30 am on Monday morning so singers should arrange to arrive during the day on Sunday.

Accommodation
Accommodation is expensive in Vienna and there is a balance to be struck between location and cost. For this event we have therefore chosen two hotels – a very comfortable four star hotel within walking distance of the Karlskirche – and a three star Mercure somewhat further out. There is a very good public transport service in Vienna including an underground train service, trams and buses.

The four-star Hotel am Konzerthaus – popular with visiting orchestras - is ideally situated within easy walking distance of shops, museums and the Opera House. The staff speak excellent English, there is a large bar and restaurant, and a handy taxi rank outside the hotel. The price we have negotiated makes this a very good value hotel by Austrian standards but it will still be an expensive option for some singers.

The 3 star Mercure is up to the usual Accor standard with clean rooms, good breakfasts and good transport links. It is quite a bit further out than the Konzerthaus but is likely to be a popular budget option.
Single room supplements apply to both hotels so, as always, we encourage people to arrange a room share wherever possible.

Travel arrangements
This bit is up to you and is not included in the price of the weekend. Vienna has it's own airport which will be many people's first choice, but one can also fly to other Austrian airports or via Bratislava – the Ryanair option - which is often considerably cheaper.

The price
The cost of the weekend including the concert, three nights B&B at the Konzerthaus and two evening meals will be £595 per person sharing. (Single room supplement £40 per night) The Mercure option will be £495 per person sharing (Single room supplement £30 per night) Non-singing partners are welcome - subject to availability - and pay a reduced fee of £495 and £395 respectively. This includes a reserved VIP ticket for the concert.

Music
You will need to provide your own score for the requiem and it must be the Barenreiter Vocal Score (BA4538A). There are several differences of notation and underlay from the Novello that many of us have, and Nigel will be using page numbers during rehearsals. It is also, importantly, the edition that the orchestra will be using. These scores can also be obtained from Choralline

Travel and health insurance
Insurance is not included but is easy and cheap to arrange. You should also bring your EH1C form with you

Deposit and payment
We will require a £125.00 deposit per person. The balance is payable no later than 8 October 2012.

Need more information?
Please contact Nick Couchman (nick@runbysingers.org) or Emma Ford (emma@runbysingers.org) or ring us on (01438) 840555 during office hours.We can probably put you in touch with somebody in your area who has already experienced one of our courses.



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