We are now able to publish the complete details of our visit to the final weekend of the 2020 Menuhin Competition in Richmond, Virginia including the Junior and Senior Finals and the Closing Gala Concert whilst getting to know the historic city Forbes Magazine consider one of "The Ten Coolest Cities to visit" and MSN hailed as "One of the most walkable cities in America". We will also visit historic Williamsburg and the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Thomas Jefferson's boyhood home at Tuckahoe Plantation and his magnificent estate at Monticello. We then continue to the nation's capital for four nights in Washington DC
To experience part of the Menuhin Competition Geneva 2018 do watch this performance of the youngest ever Junior prizewinner of the Competition - 10 year old Christian Li - click here https://youtu.be/VH-qcaCzUWA
In Richmond we stay five nights at the highy rated Commonwealth Suites, situated in the heart of the city overlooking Capitol Square and less than a five minute walk from the Carpenter Theater, home of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, where most of our concerts take place. In Richmond we have breakfast included each morning to get the day off to a good start.
As well as getting to know Richmond during our stay we will also visit the historic colonial towns of Jamestown and Williamsburg. We will also visit the Monticello Estate of Thomas Jefferson and Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington.
Our musical programme at the Menuhin Competition will include the junior & senior finals, the winner’s gala concert as well as attending a master-class with some of the young musicians and world-renowned violinists.
May is just about the most perfect time to visit Washington DC. 'Downtown DC' can be a rather empty city at night time as most folk live outside of the centre and we have therefore chosen to stay at the excellent 4* Marriott Wardman Hotel in the exclusive Woodley Park neighbourhood of the city adjacent to the Smithsonian National Zoo and close to Rock Creek Park. The hotel has lots of ‘real’ local restaurants and coffee shops in the immediate vicinity as well as being adjacent to the Woodley Park Metro station which gives us direct fast access to all of the central areas of the city that we will want to visit. We will have two breakfasts included during our stay in DC.
We will have three days of sightseeing in the nation’s capital including seeing the White House and Capitol, visiting the national monuments on the Mall, some of the museums of the Smithsonian Institute, Arlington Cemetery and the Kennedy graves, the world renowned Phillips Collection and what is considered to be one of the finest new museums of the 21st century the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Whilst we are in DC we have prime orchestra seats at the iconic Kennedy Center for the National Symphony Orchestra when Maestro Gianandrea Noseda will conduct this orchestra in a programme including Beethoven 1st & 3rd Symphonies.
Not to waste a moment, our final day will see us travel north to Philadelphia to visit Independence Hall, Liberty Bell and the historic centre of the city before we have an early dinner at Reading Terminal Market then head to the airport for a non-stop flight back overnight to Manchester or London.
The holiday includes:
- return economy class air travel Manchester or London to Richmond (change planes in Philadelphia) and back from Philly to the UK with advance seat assignments, 1 piece of checked luggage (23kg) and all taxes and fees included
- nine nights hotel accommodation (5 in Richmond and 4 in DC); 7 breakfasts, 4 dinners; 3 suppers
- concert tickets for all included performances and master class (see note below *) and a complete programme of sightseeing throughout the holiday.
* Concert tickets in Richmond: Our tickets for the junior & senior finals are in the stalls. Because the closing gala is part of the Richmond Symphony subscription our tickets for this concert are in the Front Dress Circle.
The cost of the tour is £2995 per person sharing a twin or king bedded room; £3695 for sole use of a king or queen bedded room. If you prefer to make your own flight arrangements and meet the group at the hotel in Richmond then a reduction of £800 is available.
Upgrade costs to Business class are currently quite expensive but let us know if you are interested and we can see what we can do.
Flight are with American Airlines:
Wednesday 20th May Manchester - Philadelphia 11:10 - 14:00
Philadelphia - Richmond 15:59 - 17:24
Friday 29th May Philadelphia - Manchester 21:10 - 09:10 (land back 30th May)
from London Heathrow - Philadelphia 12:40 - 15:35
Philadelphia - Richmond 18:05 - 19:37
Friday 29th May Philadelphia - Heathrow 21:55 - 10:20 (land back 30th May)
**You can now complete the booking form electronically but will require Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded for free using the link below the booking form. You can then download & save the PDF form to your computer, complete the details, resave and then email the completed form to stacey@maestrotouring.com. If you prefer, you may still print and complete the form by hand.**
