Introduction
 
The Questors Choir (LINK), St. John's Festival Choir (LINK) and Philip Norman Music Services (LINK) invite all interested singers and their families and friends on this concert tour to Krakow, Poland.
        • Choice of accommodation - Choice of travel
        • Choice of West London or East London rehearsals
        • Lots of free time for family and holiday activities
        • Friends and family members welcome
        • Music available as book or download
        • Rehearsal CDs/downloads available

This tour is being organised with help from Polorbis Holidays Ltd (LINK). The TOUR DATES, as given above, form the core of the tour and will be covered by the bookings made on your behalf by Philip Norman. Anyone choosing the flexible travel and accommodation options may join and leave the tour when and where they like.

Here is a LINK to a map of Europe centred on Krakow. You can use the toolbars to zoom into Krakow, right down to street level.
 
 
Travel
 
TRAVEL TO POLAND(^) The main travel arrangements will be by air with LOT - Polish National Airlines from Heathrow (LINK), £176 return (assuming a group of 10 or more). For airport/hotel transfers in Krakow, £16 per person (that is £8 each way). The outward flight is likely to leave at 10.40am.

There are many cheaper possibilities travelling by budget airlines. Ryan Air (LINK) and Sky Europe (LINK) operating from Stansted have been offering return fares of Krakow of just £11 plus taxes. Similarly, Central Wings (LINK) from Gatwick and Easy Jet (LINK) from Luton have very cheap offers. But they are not quoting prices for Summer 2007 yet. If you prefer, you can make your own flight arrangements (but then you will have to arrange your own airport/hotel transfers).

Alternatively, you may prefer to travel overland, either by driving yourself, or by coach from Victoria Coach Station at £99 or less return. National Express (LINK) can help with this.

TRAVEL WITHIN POLAND (^) 3 whole day excursions to towns and places of interest in southern Poland are planned, with our own coach (probably to Tarnow, Czestochowa and Zakopane). These will cost £40 per person (assuming that at least 35 people choose this option) covering all three excursions. People who make their own travel arrangements to/from Poland may still choose this option.
 
 
Hotels
 
TWO HOTELS ARE ON OFFER (^)
Hotel Monopol**** (LINK) Single Room £65 per person per night, Twin Room £42 pppn. Includes breakfast. Ensuite facilities.

Hotel Orbis Cracovia*** (LINK) Single Room £50 pppn, Twin Room £35 pppn. Includes breakfast. Ensuite facilities.

!!!! For both hotels, please enquire about triple rooms or special requirements !!!!

There are, however, many cheaper choices of hotel, apartment, bed & breakfast in Krakow. Some singers and their friends and families may prefer to investigate these, especially if they want to go in a group and make their own accommodation arrangements. This LINK will take you to a very useful site. In some of the apartments it is possible for prices to be as low as £10pppn, even in the high season.
 
 
Concerts
 
It is planned to hold 3 or 4 concerts in churches in Krakow and the surrounding area. Those outside Krakow will take place as part of the day excursions. The timetable of each day will be worked out so that most of the day can be devoted to tourist and holiday activities and only a couple of hours to the concert. Each concert will last about an hour. If possible, no concerts will be held on the first complete day in Krakow, or the last complete day, so that there is more flexibility for people making their own travel arrangements.
 
 
Music
 

As the combination of voices for the tour is not yet known, the actual pieces cannot be chosen at present. To satisfy the demands of host churches, the programme will have to be sacred in character - but the musical styles can span plainsong to spirituals. In each concert, the choral component will make up about 50% of the concert, and the rest will be smaller ensembles and solos. We will sing unaccompanied. This means that we will not have to spend much time in each concert location trying to find a good place to balance/hear an organ or piano, and it will give us great flexibility as to where we can actually sing. Copies of the music will be available either as PDF downloads from the internet, or as a comb-bound book with acetate covers.
 
 
Rehearsals
 

Parallel rehearsals will be held in both West London and East London. Singers can choose either group, or mix and match from both.
East London Rehearsals
St, John’s Church, High Road
Leytonstone E11 3BD (Map LINK)

Thursdays July 12, 19, 26
8.00pm to 10.00pm 
West London Rehearsals
St Martin’s Church Hall
Hale Gardens W3 9SG (Map LINK)

Wednesdays July 11, 18, 25
8.00pm to 10.00pm
Central London Rehearsal
St Mary with St George German Church, 10 Sandwich Street, WC1H 9PL (Map LINK)

Sunday 29 July - 3.00pm to 5.00pm

Also, if possible, there will be a 90 minute run through of the music during the morning of the first complete day in Krakow.

Rehearsal Aids: MIDI versions of the music will be placed on the internet for download - each piece in versions with the S, A, T, and B parts emphasised. It is planned to also make mp3 files of the music available which can be burned onto CDs.

 
 
Other Charges
 

Inevitably, there are other charges over and above travel and accommodation. If there is a good take-up for the tour, they will be reduced for children and non-singing senior citizens.These charges are:

Music: for singers only who required a bound book of music - £5.00. For singers who choose to download the music - £0.00.

Rehearsal: to cover the cost of hiring rehearsal locations - £5.00 per singer.

Guide (^): To help us on our days out we will hire a guide/interpreter. This will cost £10 per person, covering all three excursions.

St. John's Festival Choir Administration: The cost of preparing this tour, printing the 1000 information packs, telephoning Poland, postage etc. has been covered by St. John’s Festival Choir. This charge of £7.00 per person repays this.

Philip Norman Music Services: This covers Philip Norman’s time spent in organising the tour, preparing and rehearsing the music, travelling to Krakow, board and lodging whilst there, conducting the concerts, and being on hand at all times for trouble-shooting. £40 per singer, £30 per non-singer.

YOUR MONEY: When you pay for travel and accommodation, your money will be passed through the St. John’s Festival Choir bank account. It will be ring-fenced. That is, none of the money you pay in advance will be used to finance other projects in the hope that these projects will produce the profit to make this Poland tour go ahead. If you have to cancel your participation in the tour, all money you have paid so far will be returned, apart from that which may have been already paid for accommodation and travel and the organisations involved won’t return the deposit/payment.

PRICE CHANGES: The costs with (^) on this sheet are as stated by Polorbis. They are dependent on exchange rates, airport taxes, and fuel prices. If any change significantly and Polorbis has to re-quote, these will have to be passed on. Costs without (^) will not be altered.

 
 
Health, Visas, etc
 
Health: The European Health Insurance Card (LINK) is valid in Poland and ensures reciprocal national health care. However, there’s no substitute for good travel insurance.
Passports and Visas: UK and EU citizens do NOT need a visa to enter Poland. Other nationalities may do. Please check with the Polish Embassy (LINK) if you have any doubts. You will need a valid passport
 
 
Safety
 
St. John's Festival Choir and Philip Norman Music Services are only making travel and accommodation arrangements on your behalf. By sending the registration form and a deposit cheque, you authorise SJFC and PNMS to make these bookings. You will have the same responsibilities for yourselves and your possessions as if you had made the bookings yourselves and for the payment of outstanding personal balances before leaving each hotel (for use of extra services or minibar etc.) We are acting in good faith and only using recognised hotels and properly regulated coach and air travel companies The arrangements for this tour are as safe and risk free as any travel arrangements can be. Neither St. John's Festival Choir nor Philip Norman Music Services accept any liability for any loss, damage or injury, if caused by third parties. And, if you think that you are asked to do anything which is unsafe for you during a concert or rehearsal, or that any of the arrangements are unsafe, just say so. You have the ultimate responsibility for your own safety.
 
 
Registration and Deposits
 
To reserve a place on this tour please fill in and send the online registration form (LINK). If you want Philip Norman to book either your accommodation or flights, please register by 15 November. Your registration will be recorded. To confirm your registration send a deposit cheque, payable to St. John's Festival Choir, to Poland-07, 71 Pevensey Road, Forest Gate, LONDON E7 0AR

Deposit amounts per person:

If PNMS is booking your travel and accommodation: £100
If PNMS is booking either only your travel or only your accommodation: £50
If PNMS is booking neither your travel nor your accommodation: £20

OTHER PAYMENTS: Of the remaining balance, 25% on each of 1 Feb 07, 1 April 07, 1 May 07, and 1 June 07
 
 
Music Downloads
 
When this LINK goes live, you will able to download the music for printing and also rehearsal files with the various voices (SATB) etc emphasised. This facility will be available from Spring 2007.
 
 
Contact
 
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this tour with Philip Norman, please contact him by email or telephone (details above).