Incantato

Affiliations

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Incantato is honored to be affiliated with the following associations and cultural institutions; whose cooperation help facilitate essential artistic experiences and assist our groups in their contributions to international understanding and friendship through the universal language of music.

We thank these exceptional colleagues for their support and encourage you to learn more about them:

ACDA, Accademia San Felice Florence, Austria Expert Program, Azienda di Soggiorno e Turismo di Maiori, Bavarian Ambassador Program, Central European Quartett, Chorus America, Deutsche Zentral für Tourismus (German Tourism Board), ENIT (Italian Tourism Board) Fondazione Ravello, GALA, IGLTA, Kunst und Kultur - ohne Grenzen, Roma Arte, ROMAinCANTO, Shamrock Club (Irish Tourism Board), SCOTS (Scottish Tourism Board), Switzerland Travel Academy, US Embassy Cultural Offices throughout Europe.

Incantato strongly believes in continuing education. Our team-members continously participate in travel and destination expert seminars; they attend both on-site and virtual workshops to extend their knowledge of the countries our groups travel to.

Your Team

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Experts in the Art of Performance Tours

Sandra Weinacht and Theodore Keppler are the Founders of Incantato Tours.
Sandra has extensive experience as a performance tour organizer. She started her career in the travel industry while working as a journalist and editor and pursuing her Masters in North American Studies. As part-time tour manager in the summers of 2000-2003 for various major tour operators, sending choirs, orchestras and religious groups to Europe, Sandra was soon called into an exclusive contract with just one company specializing in performance tours. In less than six months she built a complete European Concert Management Office from scratch, establishing contacts with prime venues throughout Europe, and introducing a professional marketing concept. In the years that followed, Sandra continued to build relationships with European concert and festival organizers, arts and cultural organizations, and, most importantly, made wonderful friends both on her native continent and in the US. Professionally, aside from holding the position of Concert Manager Europe as of 2003, Sandra was promoted to Director of European Operations in 2004 and became Director of Sales, Marketing and Product Development in 2006. After the retirement of Dr. Gary Unruh, Sandra became the solely responsible person for designing over 40 performance tours to Europe. Her tours at that time focused on children's, high school, college, university, church and community choirs from all across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. The over 150 European performances she organized with her team – many of whom have recently joined Incantato – included several festivals. Among them, two special celebrations of Mozart's works in Austria and Italy in 2006 that provided wonderful experiences for conductors, singers, and excited audiences in packed churches. Sandra really cares about the musical experiences and strives to enable musicians of all ages to experience in a meaningful way the countries in which they will perform and travel. After months, sometimes years of planning, the Incantato team strives to be sure every group receives the tour they were dreaming of, often placing them in prime venues like St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, St. Marks in Venice, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Stephansdom (Vienna), Matyas Templon (Budapest) and St. Nicholas in Prague as well as in lesser known yet equally beautiful venues in smaller “off the beaten path” locales. There they usually find many of the most appreciative audiences. Sandra is grateful for the continuing mentoring from some of the finest choir conductors and music educators in the United States. It was through the positive encouragement and substantial support of these fine women and men that Incantato was founded, with the mission to facilitate essential artistic experiences for US performance groups traveling to Europe. Sandra, CEO/Concert Manager, and Theodore, President and Director of Operations, look forward to a long and profound career providing outstanding touring experiences and excellent, personable service to the fine touring groups.

Dr. Jonathan Talberg serves as Incantato‘s Artistic Director and Advisor and is responsible for consulting with traveling ensembles, approving concert venues, and suggesting appropriate repertoire for European churches, cathedrals, and festivals. With over twenty years of international touring both as a singer and conductor, Dr. Talberg brings to Incantato a concrete image of what makes a great performance tour — from the perspective of conductor and performer.

In addition, the Incantato Team consists of dedicated professionals from the United States and Europe including highly skilled tour organizers, well-connected, experienced concert managers and P.R. experts (journalists, graphic and web designers), certified tour guides, educators and last but not least renowned artists from various fields. All of our team members share the passion to work with and for fine choirs planning to travel abroad. With their combined skills and experience, they are true Experts in the Art of Performance Tours and take great pride in providing your ensemble with our trademark: "Essential Artistic Experiences". Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@incantatotours.com to request a list of references.

Incantato Tours is based in the US, Incantato Concerts in Germany.

Artistic Direction

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Artistic Director & Advisor

Dr. Jonathan Talberg serves as Incantato‘s Artistic Director and Advisor, and is responsible for consulting with travelling ensembles, approving concert venues, and suggesting appropriate repertoire for European churches, cathedrals, and festivals. With over twenty years of international touring experience both as a singer and conductor, Dr. Talberg brings to Incantato a concrete vision of what makes a great performance tour — from the perspective of conductor and performer.

One of the youngest conductors on the American circuit, he is in constant demand as a clinician and adjudicator. He has conducted at the Music Educator’s National Conference, at multiple All-State choir concerts, and on tour throughout Europe and Asia, in many venues such as St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, The Karlskirche in Vienna, and the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. He recently conducted a choir of 250 singers and the Amsterdam V.U. Orchestra for the Amadeus Festival —in Florence and San Giminano, Italy. He has prepared choirs for the Cincinnati Symphony, the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony and the Pasadena Pops.

Dr. Talberg’s principal academic position is as Director of Choral, Vocal, and Opera Studies at California State University, Long Beach. He is music director of the University and Chamber Choirs, and oversees one of the largest and most recognized voice programs in the state of California. Additionally, Dr. Talberg serves as music director of the Long Beach Bach Festival and the Camerata Singers of Long Beach, a 60 voice adult choir that performs standard and new repertoire with its own professional orchestra.

A recipient of the Oliver Family Foundation grant for outstanding American conductors, Dr. Talberg holds the position of Standards and Repertoire Chair for University and College Choirs for the California Chapter of the American Choral Director’s Association, and he is an editor at Pavane Music, where a choral series is published under his name.

Contact Incantato

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For more information and to request a proposal for your next journey abroad, please email us at info@incantatotours.com to speak with an Incantato Expert Tour Consultant.

*For legal business purposes, please understand that we ask for all communication to be in writing. Please contact us only via email unless otherwise directed.

Contact Address:

USA

INCANTATO TOURS and CONCERTS
12101 Baywoods Dr, Tega Cay, SC 29708
phone: 704.820.6223
fax: 646.478.9732
email: info@incantatotours.com

Incantato maintains European representation through our concert managers in Germany, Italy, Spain, The Czech Republic and Turkey and from these locations cover the neighboring countries of Austria, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland.

Endorsements

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FOR INCANTATO TOURS and CONCERTS

“The trip was everything I hoped for and more. Everything promised was delivered. I realize that this tour gave you a number of challenges due to the low number of participants, but you always seemed to find a way to make things happen. I appreciate the positive ‘Can Do’ attitude. You showed what a tour company can do when it really cares about the quality of the performing venues and comfort and satisfaction of its clients.”

Bruce Koliha, BelCanto Choir, Performance Tour to Central Europe 2010

“Our tour with Incatanto was unforgettable. They were able to not only secure for us the most popular and magnificent venues but also the hidden gems and special places only a company with passion and dedication can find. My Women’s Ensemble and Handbells (and even the parents) are still talking about the trip and all the wonderful memories. It has invigorated my program and I am deeply proud to have done business with Sandra and the entire team at Incantato.”

Brian Dehn, Cornelia Connelly, Performance Tour to England and Ireland 2010

“Once again, thanks to you and all the Incantato team for the great tour you arranged for CIC this summer. I truly feel that Incantato delivered a lot for our money on this trip. All of the hotels were nice ones with good locations. What a great idea to give us a night in Vienna near the Prater! And the concert venues were varied and all beautiful. The dinner cruise on our last night was magical and we enjoyed the food, the company, and the views. Thanks for making this a part of our tour. You are so skillful in finding the unique, off the beaten path, towns and villages. These are some of the best memories.”

Sue Klausmeyer, Carolina International Chorale, Performance Tour to Central Europe Summer 2010

"Dear Incantato-Team, the Choir of the Sound and I want to thank you for all you did to make our tour to Northern Italy so incredible. I’ve worked with many other tour companies, but this trip exceeded even my most optimistic expectations. The singers will remember their time in Italy the rest of their lives. To have had the opportunity to perform in those amazing cathedrals with large appreciative audiences was truly memorable. In reflecting on our trip this year, I realized that past tours that I had considered successful fell short when compared to the trip that you put together for us. Incantato provided a consistently high level of organization and personal attention both during the planning stages and on the trip. Other exceptional aspects of the tour were:
- The right amount and high quality of the performances. Our concerts and masses were wonderful.
- Outstanding tour managers that were a wonderful combination of knowledgeable, flexible, personable and fun!
- Beautiful posters and flyers as well as superb advertising of the concerts that resulted in large audiences
- Excellent pacing of the tour—thanks for anticipating when we would need some time to recover
- The included activities were interesting and created a change of pace for the singers
- Great meals, consistently. My vegetarians were very pleased also.
- The choir manager and I are very appreciative of your personal attention to our questions during the planning stages of the trip.
- Terrific bus drivers who made us feel safe and who enjoyed the group
It was a pleasure to work with everyone at your organization and I would be happy to share my experience with Incantato with other potential clients."
Judy Filibeck, Director "Choir of the Sound", Seattle, WA

"Having recently returned from a successful tour of Ireland, I can say without a doubt that this was my finest tour experience. I have used several different tours companies in my years of performance tours, and none have matched the attention to detail, the thoughtful planning, excellent venues & marketing, meal & hotels, and overall management by Incantato Tours. Their pricing was excellent, and when the US currency dropped, they did not raise any of our cost. I would recommend this company to anyone planning a tour, whether they are a large professional ensemble, or a small church choir."

Nathan J. Kreitzer - Director of Choral Activities Santa Barbara City College, CA

"It was a true pleasure working with Sandra and Incantato on our Italy Tour 2008. She is very detail oriented and surpassed many of our expectations. I would recommend Incantato to anyone planning a concert or performance tour."
Rick Christophersen, Director Conservatory of Music at Chapman University, Orange, CA

“My sincerest and deepest thanks to you and all your staff for making this tour for the Quire of Voyces our very best yet! Your attention to every detail, special offerings each day, fine accommodations and outstanding tour guides all made for a very gratifying experience for all of us.”
Susan Kuehn, Quire of Voyces Performance Tour to Italy, June 2010

"I have only wonderful things to say about Incantato Tours! The UGA Chamber Choir traveled to Italy in 2009. From the marvelous concert venues to the excellently managed tour, this was really a dream trip. The highly professional and expert Incantato tour manager who was with us throughout the entire trip, the fantastic bus drivers, and the knowledgeable city tour guides all helped to make the tour run exceptionally smoothly. Probably most important was that this entire trip was really a specialty tour designed especially for this particular choral group. Incantato Tours made it possible for us to sing in some very remarkable places, including the Sistine Chapel. Planning a tour takes incredible dedication and Incantato Tours would definitely be my choice again!"
Dr. Martha Thomas, UGA School of Music, Athens, GA

“We had the wonderful opportunity to go to Spain, sing in great venues, experience an amazing culture, and eat great food. There is always a special element of magic that happens with Incantato Tours.”
Andrew Crane, Director of Choral and Vocal Activities, California State University, San Bernardino; Performance Tour to Spain, June 2010

“Incantato Tours has created the most musically satisfying tour we have ever taken. For the singers touring is about the music in the wonderful cathedrals and the exchanges with the local kids. A toast to Incantato for fulfilling your dream, and for making so many people so happy - now and in the future.”
Arlene Jacobs, SCS Touring Choir, Akron, OH

“Incantanto facilitated maximum educational, religious, and just plain fun experiences among youth and adults alike.”
Ed Bettendorf, Western Reserve Academy, Performance Tour to Italy March 2010

"There are at least four essential ingredients for a successful and rewarding concert tour for young people and their sponsors —appropriate concert settings, advance publicity, opportunities for learning abut the areas visited (including exchanges with the local youth), and good logistical planning. The recent tour of the Akron, Ohio Summit Children's Touring Choir through Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria was successful indeed. The venues were most impressive and beautiful. The publicity produced large responsive and appreciative crowds as well as mayor’s receptions with recital opportunities at city halls. The knowledgeable tour guides and the visits with local youth and choirs provided an experience for the choir members that will not be soon forgotten. The schedule for travel, meals, concerts and touring were planed and flexible enough to accommodate for unexpected delays without loss of any scheduled tour, exchange or concert. Finally, a "shadow tour" of parents and sponsors was also a success and allowed those who wished to do so to attend every reception, recital and concert while being guided on a separate tour, well planned and executed. As one who worked with Sandra Weinacht and her staff at Incantato I can assure you it would not have been such a success without their planning and execution of our tour. They are to be commended and I would highly recommend Incantato Tours to anyone considering a group tour, especially a performance tour.
C.A. Ridge Jr., A Summit Choral Society Sponsor

“Incantato Tours impresses me because their clients come first. Their advantage lies in the selection of venues, impressive itineraries and the ability to tend to details.”
Dr. Gary L. Unruh, Professor Emeritus, CSU Fresno

“I can't speak highly enough about Incantato Tours. They were with us every step of the way, tailoring a tour that was perfect for our wants, needs and budget. I would recommend Incantato to anyone serious about a choir tour, especially if you want a tour that provides wonderful indelible memories of the best that a tour can be.”
Stan DeWitt, Minister of Music, Grace First Presbyterian Church, Long Beach, CA;
Performance Tour to Ireland, April 2010

"Of the eight international tours I've taken as both singer and conductor, last summer's CSULB tour to Naples, Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast with Incantato was the best organized and the most fun. Our tour manger and guides were professional, wonderful teachers, and our venues were beautiful. We saw stunning posters for our events everywhere we walked. The marketing for our concerts was incredible! Our audiences were huge and exuberant, and Incantato made all the pieces fell into place beautifully. Thank you Incantato Tours for the personal attention, for the flexibility that allowed us to chose exactly where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see. We're already planning for 2010."
Dr. Jonathan Talberg - Director of Choral, Vocal, and Opera Studies, Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University, Long Beach

"Canticum Novum, The tour choir of Central Church in Phoenix just completed its most successful tour in 35 years of contertizing abroad, solely due to the excellent management of Incantato. Their attention to every detail, response to every request, superb International Staff, and excellence in concert management are singularly distinctive. Theirs is a professional concert management group who are also excellent providers of travel services. That is a distinctive difference. Travel agents are for travel; Incantato provides concert management in stunning venues, and the organizational minutia supporting these artistic events in addition to fine tuned travel experiences filled with special amenities. If music making in superb acoustical spaces to wonderfully receptive audiences is your priority, Incantato is the professional tour group for your ensemble."
Donald. E. Morse, Central United Methodist Church, Phoenix, AZ

"The San Marino Chamber Singers have been very fortunate to travel several times already with the director of Incantato Tours, Ms. Sandra Weinacht. She was our personal tour and concert manager when we traveled to Italy in 2005 and then designed, organized and oversaw our tour to Central Europe in 2007. It was another huge success. Aside from selecting and working with prime venues only, Ms. Weinacht's staff also put in great time and effort in promoting our concerts through beautiful designed and professionally printed concert posters and cards. Incantato's marketing of our performances became highly visible to the public and contributed to the success of every concert. I have been more than impressed with their professionalism and highly recommend Incantato Tours to everyone. They definitely cater to each choir member's personal needs and watch every detail. The hotels were carefully selected, the meals were beyond our expectation. If there were ever any problems, they were dealt with beautifully and professionally on the spot. We were very impressed with how well the whole tour was executed. The next time we go back to Europe, it will be with Incantato Tours."
Howard Cheung, San Marino Chamber Choir, CA

"Well, you did it. I don't know how, but you did it! You accepted the challenge, and performed a small miracle. My hat is off to you and Ted for creating what is, for me, the most musically satisfying tour we have taken. All of the kids who have been on the three tours (Italy, China,and Europe) agreed, hands down, that this was the best ever. For them it's about the music in the wonderful cathedrals and the exchanges with the local kids. In festival-type situations they are not really "up close and personal" with other kids - they're mostly rehearsing. At any rate, a toast to Incantato, to you and Ted for fulfilling your dream, and for making so many people so happy - now and in the future. Thank you!"
Arlene Jacobs, Artistic Director, Summit Children’s Touring Choir and Co-Founder of the Summit Choral Society (SCS)

"Incantato stresses the small town experience as well as the traditional larger cities, but it wasn't until I looked out on the valley and town of Salice Terme spread out below us as we enjoyed a wonderful home-cooked Italian meal that I truly understood or appreciated that element. At that moment, "Italy" became much more than a series of famous cities to check off my list; it became a real world, a place of rolling hills as well as marble cathedrals, time-honored traditions and modern technology. A true mix of culture and heritage unknown and unappreciated by those in the United States --- until you arrive! The experience we had of singing in the Sistine Chapel is absolutely indescribable, yet I must try. It's been almost three months since the last note of Gregorio Allegri's Miserere echoed off Botticelli's walls and Michelangelo's awesome ceiling, but to the choir it is still as vivid a memory as if we sang there last night. I can't thank Sandra and the Incantato Team enough for arranging such a poignant moment"
David Okun, student at UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, Athens, GA

About Incantato

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INCANTATO TOURS
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCES

Incantato is an innovative and creative organization dedicated to a new approach towards overseas group travel. Specializing in performance and cultural study tours with all custom itineraries, and special events, Incantato brings the finest service to international touring with the expertise of key staff members who have years of proven experience of superlative quality.

We are a company that assures our clients that every itinerary is individually designed and meticulously organized to match each group's wishes, needs, and budget.

ESSENTIAL ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES FOR PERFORMING GROUPS

By arranging unique concerts in both historic capital cities with major sites and in "off-the-beaten-path" destinations featuring hidden gems, performing ensembles will be given a unique opportunity for meaningful immersion into local culture. Unforgettable performances in exquisite venues, professional concert organization and marketing, special receptions in order to meet hosts and audiences, educational workshops and cultural exchanges, perfectly matched hotels and restaurants, in-depth sightseeing, free time to relax or to shop – these are a few of the essential elements of an Incantato Performance Tour.

Incantato is able to rely on key dedicated local partners in various cultural, educational and tourism organizations in order to offer the highest level of performing sponsorships. Through the support of embassies, consulates, governments and the media it is possible to make arrangements rarely achieved in group touring. Incantato maintains and nurtures effective relationships with overseas partners who are eager to facilitate the aspirations of fine touring groups and ensembles.

ESSENTIAL CULTURAL EXPERIENCES FOR STUDY & ALUMNI TOURS

All of our journeys have a special emphasis on the educational component. Starting with the pre-tour presentations and blogs, and continuing with highly skilled tour managers, to the expert local guides and lecturers, travelers on any Incantato Tour are sure to get an in-depth introduction to the destination they are visiting. Like every journey we organize, our study tours are custom-designed with solely your group's goals in mind and we take great pride in opening doors to research facilities, museums and libraries for you even if they are closed to the general public. In addition, we arrange exchanges with local students, organizations and encourage you to make new contacts and friends when traveling abroad.

ESSENTIAL CULINARY EXPERIENCES FOR ALL

In order to fully immerse yourself into local cultures, one has to taste the many flavors of a country, its various regions and ideally even take a peak into someone's home kitchen. Incantato takes great pride in enabling travelers to eat extremely well starting with hearty breakfasts to specialty food tastings and gourmet dinners even for our student groups. You can learn so much about a country by eating what the locals do, and also where they do it. For an even deeper immersion into local cuisine, Incantato also offers special culinary journeys.

Incantato Team
Experts in the Art of Performance, Study, Alumni & Culinary Tours

The Incantato Team consists of dedicated professionals from the United States and Europe including highly skilled tour organizers, well-connected, experienced concert managers and public relations experts (journalists, graphic and web designers), certified tour guides, educators and last but not least renowned artists from various fields.

All of our team members share the passion to work with and for fine choirs, study, alumni and other special interest groups planning to travel abroad. With their combined skills and experience, they are true Experts in the Art of Tours and take great pride in providing your ensemble and group with our trademarks: "Essential Artistic Experiences", "Essential Cultural Experiences" and "Essential Culinary Experiences"

Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@incantatotours.com to request a list of references.

INCANTATO relocated to the Carolinas as of December 2008 to expand our services even further. Our new address is INCANTATO TOURS, 12101 Baywoods Drive, Tega Cay, South Carolina 29708

INCANTATO CONCERTS, the European office is within easy reach from Frankfurt airport.
The physical address is Speyererstr. 127, 67105 Schifferstadt.