Music in Scandinavia HELSINKI, STOCKHOLM, OSLO & COPENHAGEN MAY 12-28, 2021 TOUR LEADER: ROBERT GAY

Royal Danish Opera House, Copenhagen

PRELIMINARY ITINERARY

Overview Academy Travel’s 17-day tour explores the capitals of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. These northern lands have a strong and distinctive musical tradition, not only through their composers – such as Grieg and Sibelius – but in the many fine conductors, singers and instrumentalists who hail from these parts. As always, the itinerary is based on a series of excellent performances. You will have the opportunity to enjoy opera, orchestral concerts and perhaps a chamber music recital. These take place in some of the most stunning venues in Europe – modern concert halls and opera houses which exhibit the very best in Scandinavian design. The long days will contribute to this unique travel experience. Scandinavian music often reflects nature, literature and folk traditions. Travelling through the landscapes that inspired these sounds will enhance your appreciation of this evocative and haunting music. The itinerary takes in some truly memorable sightseeing, including fine architecture in Helsinki, Stockholm’s magnificent harbour, examples of Viking culture in Norway, and pockets of the charming traditional architecture of Copenhagen. Centrally located four-star hotels, many meals, tipping and best-available tickets to performances are all included. Touring is by coach, on foot and by boat with museum and art gallery visits rounding out the program. Pre-performance talks by music educator Robert Gay enhance your understanding and enjoyment on the musical program.

Your tour leader For over 30 years, Robert Gay has presented music history courses for the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Sydney. Over the same period, he has designed and escorted more than 90 musical and cultural tours to Europe and America.

On tour, Robert will provide a thorough introduction to the performances you see, with detailed pre-performance talks and post-performance reviews. Robert’s approach to music is multi-faceted. First and foremost, he links the music to the biographical, historical

and social context in which it was created. Secondly, he explains in plain language technical aspects of the music – how the composer communicates through sound. Finally, as a trained singer who attends dozens of performances each year, he offers great insight into the qualities of the performances you see on tour. Robert’s enthusiasm is infectious, and his skills as a music educator and tour leader are exceptional. Since 2010, he has led tours exclusively for Academy Travel.

MUSIC IN SCANDINAVIA Tour dates: May 12-28, 2021

Tour leader: Robert Gay

Tour Price: $11,995 per person, twin share

Single Supplement: $2,995 for sole use of double room

Booking deposit: $500 per person

Recommended airline: Finnair

Maximum places: 20

Itinerary: Helsinki (4 nights), Ferry (1 night), Stockholm (4 nights), Oslo (3 nights), Copenhagen (4 nights)

Date published: January 16, 2020

Enquiries and bookings

For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Jemma York at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email jemma@academytravel.com.au

HELSINKI FINLAND Orchestral concert at

the Helsinki Music Centre

Opera at the Finnish National Opera

Performance program Eight performances are included. Details of performances will be announced in October 2020.

STOCKHOLM SWEDEN Ballet at the Royal Swedish

Opera Opera at the Royal

Swedish Opera

OSLO NORWAY Opera at the Oslo Opera

House Ballet at the Oslo Opera

House

COPENHAGEN NORWAY Opera at the Royal Danish

Opera House Chamber music concert

or recital

Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D.

Wednesday May 12 Arrive Helsinki

The tour begins this evening at the Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza Helsinki when you meet your tour leader Robert Gay for drinks and canapes. (C)

Thursday May 13 Exploring the City Centre – Performance I

After a talk on this evening’s performance, we take a guided orientation walk through central Helsinki. We see Helsinki railway station, the 1919 masterpiece of Eliel Saarinen, and stroll through magnificent Senate Square and along Esplanadi, the city’s beautiful boulevard-park, which is lined with National Romantic buildings and design shops. This is followed by a welcome lunch in a local restaurant before returning to our hotel where the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. This evening we enjoy a performance at the new Helsinki Music Centre. (B, L)

Performance details Venue: Helsinki Music Centre Program: To be announced Performers: To be announced

Friday May 14 More Architectural Splendours

Today we take a guided coach tour visiting some more of Helsinki’s architectural splendours beginning with Temppeliaukio Church, known as the ‘Rock Church’. Quarried out of natural bedrock, the unique architecture of this fascinating attraction, with its copper dome, exposed rocks and concrete beams, never fails to impress. We visit the Oodi, Helsinki’s Central Library. A striking building with glass and steel structures and wooden façade, this energy-efficient building is an architectural highlight. We continue our tour visiting the Art Nouveau Kallio Church and Russian Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral. The afternoon is at leisure. (B)

Saturday May 15 Harbour cruise – PERFORMANCE II

This morning we take a guided cruise around Helsinki Harbour. Starting at Market Square, we pass Klippan Island and

Above: a detail of Saarinen’s 1919 Helsinki Railway Station Below: the Sibelius Monument by Eila Hiltunen, simulating 600 organ pipes in honor of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius; and the unique architecture of Oodi, otherwise known as the Helsinki Central Library

Tour start & finish time

The tour begins at 6.00pm on Wednesday May 12, at the Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza, Helsinki.

The tour ends after breakfast on Friday May 28, at the Hotel Admiral, Copenhagen.

Above: the city of Stockholm on a beautiful day; and current owners of Alvar Aalto’s Villa Kokkonen, both accomplished musicians, hold a performance in the beautiful piano-shaped music room

Below: a persevered 17th century warship, which capsized and sank in Stockholm 1628, on show at the Vasa Museum

Kaivopuisto Park, where many embassies are located, before reaching the island of Suomenlinna, an important fortress used by the Swedes and Russians to protect their Finnish assets. After exploring the island, we continue past the King’s Gate and a fleet of ice-breakers moored in the harbour before returning to port. The afternoon is at leisure before our performance this evening. (B)

Performance details Venue: Finnish National Opera Program: To be announced Performers: To be announced

Sunday May 16 Overnight ferry to Stockholm

This morning we check out of our hotel and depart by coach for Lake Jarvenpãã. In the early 20th century, the shores of this lake hosted an important community of artists and musicians whose houses reflected the nature-loving traditions of the Finnish. First we visit Ainola, Sibelius’s beautiful country home, before making an extended lunch stop at Villa Kokkonen, which was designed by Alvar Aalto for his composer friend Joonas Kokkonen. The current curators of the villa will host us to lunch and perform for us in the beautiful piano-shaped music room. We return to Helsinki this afternoon before boarding the overnight ferry to Stockholm. Our accommodation is booked in A-class sea-view cabins, and dinner is served onboard. (B, L, D)

Monday May 17 Arrival in Stockholm

After breakfast onboard, we have a guided coach tour of Stockholm, beginning with the City Hall where the Nobel Prize banquet is held every year. We walk through Gustav Adolf’s Square, named after the hero-king of Sweden, to the Royal Opera House, and then tour the public areas of the Royal Palace to see the lavish decor of the Hall of State and the Royal Chapel. Mid-afternoon, we check in to our hotel and this evening we enjoy dinner in a local restaurant. (B, D)

Tuesday May 18 Vasa Museum – PERFORMANCE III

Stockholm is a city spread across an archipelago of islands, making the ‘hop-on-hop-off’ boat a perfect way to explore the city. Today we visit the Vasa Museum which displays an almost fully intact 17th-century warship that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. The salvaged ship is immaculately preserved, in spite of its having rested on the sea floor for over three hundred years. Following our visit, you may like to use your boat ticket to explore some of Stockholm’s myriad islands and attractions. This evening we attend a performance at the Royal Swedish Opera. (B)

Performance details Venue: Royal Swedish Opera Program: To be announced Performers: To be announced

Wednesday May 19 DROTTNINGHHOLM

Today we travel to Drottningholm Palace by boat. After touring the royal apartments, we visit the beautifully preserved baroque theatre, one of the few 18th-century theatres in Europe where the original hand-driven stage machinery is still being used for performances. We return to Stockholm where the later afternoon and evening are at leisure. (B)

Thursday May 20 Stockholm – PERFORMANCE IV

Today is at leisure to enjoy the many sites that this beautiful city has to offer. This evening we attend a performance at the Royal Swedish Opera. (B)

Performance details Venue: Royal Swedish Opera Program: To be announced Performers: To be announced

Friday May 21 To Oslo

Today we travel by coach to Oslo. On arrival, we check in at our hotel. Dinner this evening is in a local restaurant. (B, D)

Saturday may 22 New National Gallery – PERFORMANCE V

After a talk on this evening’s performance, we have a guided visit of the brand-new National Gallery, which houses Norway’s largest public collection of paintings. Our performance this evening is at the Oslo Opera House which is dramatically situated on the edge of Oslo fjord. It opened in 2008. (B)

Performance details Venue: Oslo Opera House Program: To be announced Performers: To be announced

Sunday may 23 Viking Ship Museum – performance vi

This morning we take a short ferry ride across Olso Harbour to visit the impressive Viking Ship Museum which contains the 1200-year-old remains of several Viking boats and other decorative Viking artefacts. The afternoon is at leisure before this evening’s ballet. (B)

Performance details Venue: Oslo Opera House Program: To be announced Performers: To be announced

Images left: Drottningholm Palace, a private Swedish residence of the royal family; The Scream at Oslo’s National Gallery; and the Oslo Opera House, appears as though it’s rising from the water

Monday may 24 To Copenhagen

This morning we depart for the airport and our early afternoon flight to Copenhagen. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel and check in. Dinner this evening is in a local restaurant. (B, D)

Tuesday may 25 Exploring COPENHAGEN – PERFORMANCE VII

This morning we take a guided walking tour of Copenhagen, visiting Amalienborg – home of the Danish royal family – and Nyhavn, which was once a busy commercial port. Here the typical old gabled houses have been beautifully restored, and it’s especially here that people enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the old canals. This afternoon we enjoy a canal cruise before making our way back to the hotel. This evening, we attend a chamber music performance or recital. (B)

Performance details Venue: To be announced Program: To be announced Performers: To be announced

Wednesday may 26 MALMÖ

Today, we drive across the spectacular Ørosund Bridge, which connects Denmark and Sweden, to the city of Malmö. The third largest city in Sweden, Malmö revels in the contrast of the old and the new – gabled Dutch Renaissance buildings in the Old Town and modern Swedish architecture on the redeveloped waterfront. We return to the hotel in the later afternoon, and the evening is at leisure in Copenhagen. (B)

Thursday may 27 OPERA IN COPENHAGEN – PERFORMANCE VIII

This morning we have a guided tour of the superb Copenhagen Opera House. Designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen, it is one of the best-equipped opera houses in the world and has one of the largest orchestra pits, comfortably accommodating 110 musicians. The complex stage machinery and backstage facilities are also outstanding. After the visit, we enjoy a farewell lunch in a restaurant by the harbour. The later afternoon is at leisure and this evening we attend a performance by the Royal Danish Opera. (B, L)

Performance details Venue: Royal Danish Opera House Program: To be announced Performers: To be announced

Images right: the beautifully preserved and intact Oseberg Ship excavated form the largest ship burial in the world at the Viking Ship Museum; ballet taking place at the Royal Danish Opera House; and Nyhavn, a 17th century waterfront canal

district lined with brightly coloured townhouses and bars

Friday may 28 Departure

The tour concludes after breakfast. Please consult your individual travel documents for your outbound journey. (B)

Hotels Throughout the tour, we stay in centrally located four-star hotels. Helsinki, Radisson Blu Plaza (4 nights)

www.radissonhotels.com/

Ferry, Silja Line (1 night) www.tallinksilja.com/

Stockholm, Hotel Elite Eden Park (4 nights)

www.elite.se/en/ Oslo, Radisson Blu Plaza (3 nights)

www.radissonhotels.com/ Copenhagen, Hotel Admiral (4 nights)

admiralhotel.dk/en/

Weather on Tour Temperatures in May can be cool in May throughout Scandinavia, as it’s the middle of Spring. Average day time highs are in the low 10s, and average night time lows are between 6-8 degrees Celsius. Some rain can be expected. We recommend dressing in layers, bringing a waterproof jacket and a good quality coat, gloves and beanie. It can be quite cold during the evenings.

Above: Amalienborg, home to the Danish royal family in Copenhagen, overlooks the Royal Danish Opera House Below: The foyer inside the Royal Danish Opera House, it is among the most modern opera houses in the world

Fitness Requirements of THIS tour

GRADE TWO

It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.

Participation criteria for this tour

This Grade Two tour is designed for people who lead active lives and can comfortably participate in up to five hours of physical activity per day on most days, including longer walking tours, challenging archaeological sites, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, and a more demanding tour schedule with one night stops or several internal flights. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 4-5 kilometres at a moderate pace with only

short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and

museums tolerate uncomfortable climatic conditions such as cold,

humidity and heat walk up and down slopes negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites,

which are often uneven and unstable get on and off a large coach with steep stairs, train or

boat unassisted, possibly with luggage move your luggage a short distance if required

A note for older travellers

If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility, it is highly likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. You will have to miss several activities and will not get the full value of the tour. Your booking will not be accepted until after you have contacted Academy Travel to discuss your situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition.

Tour Price The tour price is $11,995 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $2,995 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Second deposit

Once the final performance program is released in October 2020, you will be asked to pay a second deposit of $2,000 per person to cover the cost of tickets. At this point you will have a 14-day period to withdraw from the tour with a full refund of all monies paid (including initial deposit) if you do not find the range and standard of performances satisfactory.

Tour Inclusions

Included in the tour price

All accommodation in selected four-star hotels Overnight ferry to Stockholm in A class sea view cabins All breakfasts, plus lunches and dinners as noted in the

itinerary by (L) and (D) Land travel by air-conditioned coach Economy class air travel from Oslo to Copenhagen Background talks on the performances Services of Robert Gay throughout tour All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary Qualified local guides Porterage of one piece of luggage at all hotels

Not included

International airfares, taxes and surcharges (see below) Travel insurance Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature

Air travel OPTIONS The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour we recommend Finnair which offers flights from Australia direct to Helsinki and return from Copenhagen. Please contact us for further information on competitive Economy, Business and First-Class airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel are included for all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. These may be group or individual transfers.

Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Jemma York at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email jemma@academytravel.com.au

About Academy TravelEach year Academy Travel organises around 60 journeys to Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia and the Americas, each focusing on a distinctive historical, artistic or cultural theme. The aim of every Academy Travel journey is to combine the pleasures of independent travel with the benefits and shared enjoyment of a group. Academy Travel is an Australian-owned travel company, founded in 2004. The company’s staff includes both academic experts and travel professionals with over two decades’ industry experience. We also have our own office in Rome which organises our tours in Western Europe. This means we have direct control over the selection of hotels, restaurants, coaches and local guides, guaranteeing superior quality.

Years of experienceAcademy Travel was founded in 2004 by a team with decades of prior experience in small group travel. On average, our tour leaders have over 11 years’ experience, some with 25 or more years. To ensure quality, we have our own office in Rome, Italy and a network of trusted suppliers around the world.

Great itinerariesAcademy Travel works hard to create itineraries that provide a balanced experience – walking tours, museum and gallery visits, live performances, city and countryside. We’re proud to be constantly innovating, from opening up new destinations, creating tours around festivals and special exhibitions, to providing unrivalled depth in our residential tours.

Like-minded groupsOver the years we’ve been in operation, we’ve developed a loyal band of Academy Travellers, some of whom have travelled with us more than 10 times. They say the small groups (maximum 20, average 17) and distinct themes of our tours attract like-minded travellers and create a relaxed, convivial atmosphere.

Long staysFeedback from our clients consistently tells us that creating itineraries with three and four-night stops, or even longer, is far more appealing that rushing from place to place. Wherever possible, we plan our tours around a limited number of stops, making your travels more relaxed and more meaningful.

Special EventsA private viewing of the Sistine Chapel? Tickets to a sold-out concert by the Berlin Philharmonic? A world-famous art fair? Access to private homes and gardens? Behind-the-scenes visits? Many of our tours feature access to places and events that are usually not offered on most group tours.

Expert tour leadersWe work closely with a team of academically qualified and highly experienced tour leaders. They don’t just ‘rattle off the facts’ – they help us plan our itineraries and, on tour, freely share their deep knowledge and genuine passion. Most of our tour leaders are still teaching at an advanced level and many are still undertaking academic research.

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DEPOSITS A deposit of $500 per person is required to confirm your booking on a tour. Final payment of the tour fee, insurance and any additional travel will be due 60 days before departure.

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