Central Europe Tour
23, AugThe 40-member FCWS touring ensemble traveled to Central Europe in June 2025. We visited the spa towns of Western Bohemia, Prague, and Kolin in the Czech Republic, then on to Bratislava, Slovakia before ending the tour in Budapest, Hungary. A fabulous experience!
We performed first with the Městský dechový orchestr (Municipal Wind Orchestra) of Cheb, Czechia, Jiří Smitek, Director, at the beautiful Garden Pavilion in Frantiskovy Lazne and at the Cultural Center in Cheb. We also visited Loket Castle (a 12th century Gothic castle) and the spa town of Karlovy Vary, the location of the European premiere of Dvorak's New World Symphony. In addition to seeing many iconic sites of Prague, we observed a masterclass/rehearsal with the Czech Army Band. We also represented the USA in a performance at the 60th annual International Music Festival in Kolin, Czechia.
In Budapest, we visited the Hungarian Parliament, the Hungarian House of Music and enjoyed a guided tour of Budapest, including St. Matthias Church, the Buda Castle and the Fisherman's Bastion. We performed in the Eötvös Concert Hall in a partner concert with the Budafoki Fúvósegylet (Budafok Wind Association), László Arató, Conductor. We enjoyed connecting with Hungarian musicians and sharing the music of our cultures!
The tour ended with a beautiful cruise on the Danube River!
