Available: Anually

Dates 2012 09 - 11 March	Dates 2013 March TBA

Festival Profile
Amsterdam has many colourful faces and places. You probably know about the 165 romantic canals with nearly 1300 bridges, the 600.000 (!) bikes, it’s famous nightlife and the beautiful flower markets. However, Amsterdam has a lot more to offer. It has fascinating places of interest; historic monuments, arts and antiques in quaint quarters and fashionable, upscale products on chic shopping streets. Because of the many museums and galleries, Amsterdam makes it possible for you to visit a unique cultural event almost every hour during your stay. Famous museums like the Rijksmuseum (with e.g. the Nightwatch by Rembrandt), the Van Gogh museum or the Anne Frank museum bring you back to the early days of the Netherlands.

The canals are above all one of the most famous attractions of Amsterdam. Elegant mansions stand along the Herengracht, Prinsengracht and the Keizersgracht canals. Most of them built during the Golden Era and all of them built on wooden poles. In the course of the centuries, these houses have been renovated to meet changing tastes. Beautiful examples can be seen while taking a walk along these canals.

Music is very important in Amsterdam. As the Netherlands is known for the high level of its music academy, Amsterdam is a city that thrives on music. During your stay you will have the opportunity to feel this musical atmosphere.

Individual concerts will be held in the Amsterdam and its surroundings in order to experience what it is like to sing before a real Dutch audience in venues like churches, senior houses and concert halls. Friendship concerts bring together a local choir with 2 –3 foreign choirs. An ideal occasion to make friends and new international contacts in a friendly atmosphere. On the last evening, all participating choirs present themselves with a song of their choice in the Westerkerk, a beautiful, and one of


Amsterdam’s most famous churches, situated close to the Anne Frank's house. This is followed by a joint dinner with music and songs in a typical Dutch “gezellige” atmosphere - an evening you will never forget!

If you extend your stay by one night, you could sing during a mass in, for example, the beautiful English church situated in the “begijnhof” in Amsterdam.

PROGRAM

• DAY 1: Arrival in Amsterdam in the morning. Check-in your Hotel. A welcome drink will be offered by your host.  In the evening, sing at the "friendship concert" together with other visiting choirs in Amsterdam or its vicinity.

• DAY 2: After breakfast, city tour Amsterdam and surroundings, including a visit to a clogs factory.In the late afternoon, time to prepare and rehearse the evening farewell concert. Every choir presents itself with a song of their choice followed by a joint performance of all attending choirs.
  
  The concert will take place at the concert hall De Duif Amsterdam.
• A festive farewell dinner for all choirs will bring the Cantate Amsterdam to a close.
  
  DAY 3/4 (optional): Possibility for additional individual concerts or to continue exploring Amsterdam and its beautiful surrounding villages.
  
  NOTE:
  A personalised program around the basic program can be arranged by special request.
  
  For additional information: