Friday, April 7: Early morning arrival in Prague. Transfer to Top Hotel (www.tophotel.cz), check in and have lunch. Time to relax before we visit the Jan Neruda School and meet young Czech musicians. Enjoy dinner, a walk on the Charles Bridge and return to hotel.

Saturday, April 8: See the Palace District for an introduction to the city and dramatic views. Lunch in the Metropolitan House Café is followed by rehearsal in Smetana Hall (www.obecni-dum.cz) in this beautiful building. Concert is at 16.00. Dinner afterward with fellow musicians. 

Sunday, April 9: This morning enjoy an exclusive performance of “Don Giovanni” in the National Marionette Theater (www.mozart.cz). Drive to Kutna Hora (www.kutnahora.cz)for lunch, a short tour and a performance in the St. Barbara Cathedral. Return to Prague for dinner in our hotel, followed by a special concert of Czech folk music and dancing.

Monday, April 10: Sightseeing in the Old Town to include the Jewish Josefa district. Time for shopping and lunch on your own (in small groups). At 14.30 we meet and travel by bus to nearby Nelahozeves, to visit Dvorak’s birthplace and the medieval castle of the Lobkowitz family (www.lobkowicz.org), known for centuries for their support of musicians, most notably Haydn and Beethoven. Twice in the 20th century the family was forced the flee their homeland, but they returned after the fall of communism in 1989. See their collection of art, musical instruments and original scores. 

Continue the short distance to another of the family’s castles (www.lobkowicz-melnik.cz), where you’ll give your final concert and enjoy a farewell dinner. 

Tuesday, April 11: After breakfast load buses for the transfer to the airport. Depart Prague on Czech Airlines flight OK50 with mid-afternoon arrival at JFK.