10 nights / 11 days April 13 – April 23, 2011
Draft *
Day 1: Late Afternoon Depart USA, overnight non-stop service to Moscow*
Day 2 - 4: Moscow*
Welcome to Moscow. Your hosts in this beautiful capital city are Sergey Kasarnovkiy and the Moscow Class – Center School of visual and performing arts. Performances, workshops, and cultural exchange activities are being organized. Sergey has visited the US with performing youth in the past, recently hosted by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington, D.C. last winter, and we are exploring plans to host one of his groups here as part of our cultural exchange.
Your sightseeing might include a stop at the Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral, the architectural masterpiece and wonder of the 16th century. Your tour then continues to Tretiakov Gallery and Bolotnaya ploshad, Christ Cathedral and the New Tretiakov Gallery. After driving up to Gorky Parkand Sparrow Hills (former Lenin Hills) you can enjoy a 30km panoramic view of Moscow and view the renowned Moscow State University before visiting Victory Park. The next stops will be at the Borodino Panorama, the New Maiden Convent and the New Maiden Cemetery. Continue to New Arbat Street to see an example of minimalist communist 60's style architecture, the White House of Russia, before a visit to Old Arbat Street, the most famous street in Moscow. Stop at the Kremlin, Alexander Gardens, Manege and Okthoni Ryad Mall.
Explore the Kremlin Grounds, Cathedrals and Patriarch's Palaces in Moscow. The small city in the center of Moscow, once the residence of Czars and Patriarchs, contains Russia's main cathedrals, Assumption Cathedral, Archangel's Cathedral and the Deposition of the Robe Cathedral. The Patriarch's Palace is a museum of seventeenth-century life and applied art, displaying ecclesiastical regalia, period furniture, gold and silver ware from Russia and Western Europe. The palace dates back to 1640 and incorporates the Church of the Twelve Apostles, which was the private place of worship for the patriarchs.
Day 5 - 7: Moscow – Krasnodar*
Spend the next three days in Krasnodar, which is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai, the most populous southern region of Russia. Sochi, host to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games is located in this region of the Russian Federation. Our hosts here are Elkhan Atakishev and the world renowned Krasnodar Jazz Orchestra. We will have the opportunity to host and perform with the Krasnodar Big Band here as part of our cultural exchange.
The famous Krasnodar Jazz orchestra is led by the distinguished musician, Elkhan Ataksihev. This group is a winner of international festivals in Prague, Mumbai, Havana, Warsaw, Finland. The Krasnodar Big Band is one of the best jazz groups in Russia. The unique sound of this orchestra and the magnificent arrangements win over the most exacting audience; in concerts the group always plays to full houses.
The population of Krasnodar is about 700,000 people, and it is 18th among the Russia's largest cities. Krasnodar is situated on the River Kuban, approximately 620 miles south of Moscow, and 50 miles north-east of the Black Sea, on the periphery of the Caucasus, and was founded by the Cossacks in 1794 to protect Southern borders of Russia. Today Krasnodar is a dynamic modern city - major industrial, agricultural, and cultural center in the south of Russia. After Moscow, it is the fastest growing region in Russia. Enjoy sightseeing in Krasnodar during your stay. The collection of churches, classic buildings and monuments is the main attraction of Krasnodar. There are three beautiful main churches in the center of the city. Monuments can be found in every district. Krasnodar has the historical museum that offers interesting collections of art and local history artifacts. The Krasnodar Regional Art Museum houses the paintings of Malevich, Kandinsky, Exter, Popova and others Russian avant-garde painters. This collection is dated 1920th. Krasnodar has one of the largest art collections in Russia. Three theatres, including Drama, Musical and Puppet theatres, are at the disposal of dwellers and guests of the city as well as the Philharmonic Theatre, Organ Hall and the Circus.
Day 8 – 10: Krasnodar – St Petersburg*
In the next three days, you will enjoy the sights of St Petersburg. We are still working on concert and exchange plans for this leg of the tour.
See the Peter and Paul Fortress, the oldest and most historical construction in Saint-Petersburg. It had for almost two centuries served as a burial-place for Russian emperors. The last Russian tsar- Nicholas II and his family were buried in the cathedral's small St. Catherine chapel in 1998. Visit the magnificent St Isaac's Cathedral, formerly the Russia's principal cathedral. Continue on to the Hermitage museum, the second largest art museum in the world and the main tourist attraction of St Petersburg. See all the great masterpieces of the world. Followed by an excursion to the famous Hermitage Museum
Day 11: St Petersburg – Moscow – Washington Dulles, USA*
Fly to Moscow for your connection Home
*This is a draft overview of our plans. International Tour planning is a dynamic process with many factors and variables. Economic, political, cultural and/or logistical factors may require us to change some details prior to departure. All itinerary information, including hosts, destinations, performances, and sight-seeing plans are in draft form while we work with the State Department and our partner international arts organizations until the Final Itinerary is published.