Drake Chamber Choir England Tour 2010

Tour Itinerary

  • Friday, January 1:  The Chamber Choir will depart from Des Moines at 7:20 pm and arrive in Chicago at 8:40 pm.  The group will proceed to connect to London, leaving at 9:55 pm and arriving at 11:30 am the next day.
  • Saturday, January 2:  Tom Doyle, the tour's manager, will greet the Chamber Choir upon arrival.  The ensemble will travel via private motorcoach to Cambridge with a stop at Windsor Castle.  Chamber Choir will do an informal sing in St. George's Chapel.  That evening, the choir will check-in at the De Vere University Arms Hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner.
  • Sunday, January 3:  Singers will enjoy a free morning to explore.  At 12:00 pm, they will embark on a guided walking tour of Cambridge.  At 2:30 pm, they will transfer via private motorcoach to Witham, Essex for a 4:00 pm rehearsal and a 7:30 pm concert at St. Nicolas Parish Church.
  • Monday, January 4:  The Chamber Choir will travel to Ely via private motorcoach at 8:30 am for a guided tour of the Cathedral at 9:30 am.  Performers will arrive for a 1:10 pm concert in the beautiful Lady Chapel.  Following this, the ensemble will return to Cambridge for a 7:30 pm concert at St. John's College.  A group dinner will follow at 9:00 pm at the hotel.
  • Tuesday, January 5:  Chamber Choir will depart at 9:00 am for Salisbury with a stop in Coventry to visit the Coventry Cathedral.  The ensemble will check-in at the Best Western Red Lion Hotel.  Following this, the choir will hold a concert at 7:30 pm at the Salisbury Methodist Church.
  • Wednesday, January 6:  Singers will depart on-foot at 8:30 am to the Salisbury Cathedral for a guided tour.  Following the tour, they will head to Bath via private motorcoach for a recital at 1:05 pm at Bath Abbey.  They will enjoy a visit to the Roman Baths and return to Salisbury for a 7:00 pm group dinner at the hotel.
  • Thursday, January 7:  The choir will depart at 9:00 am for a visit to Stonehenge.  Following the stop, the ensemble will continue to London for a tour of the West End, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, St. James Park, Green Park, Piccadilly, Buckingham Palace, and the South Bank.  After checking in at the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury, the choir will enjoy a 7:30 pm performance of Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre.
  • Friday, January 8:  Chamber Choir will depart at 10:15 am via private motorcoach to St. Martin-in-the-Fields at Trafalgar Square for a 1:00 pm concert.  At 2:00 pm, the ensemble will board the motorcoach to enjoy a guided historical tour of the city, seeing Fleet Street, the Bank of England, and the London Stock Exchange along the way.  Following this, singers will visit St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London.  The choir will enjoy a free evening to explore and take in the city.
  • Saturday, January 9:  The ensemble will enjoy a day free to continue exploring London.  At 5:15 pm, Chamber Choir will transfer to St. James's Piccadilly for at 7:30 pm concert.  A farewell dinner at 9:00 pm at Denise's Restaurant will wrap up the tour.
  • Sunday, January 10:  Chamber Choir will transfer to the airport at 7:00 am via private motorcoach, flying to Chicago at 10:15 am and arriving at 1:10 pm.  Members of the ensemble will connect to Des Moines on a 2:45 pm flight, arriving home at 4:00 pm.