Bardou
Bardou lies in the Parc Naturel du Haut Languedoc in the mountains near Montpellier in Southern France and is our special destination for those who appreciate the essentials of life. The accommodation is rustic but you will be rewarded with a unique setting of stunning scenery and tranquility. Consisting of twenty ancient stone houses, Bardou is an authentic example of the architecture and layout of a tiny medieval mountain hamlet.
Bardou is the perfect place for enjoying nature. Several marked trails offer short- or long-distance walks for all levels. You might also enjoy swimming in the refreshing waters of mountain streams with waterfalls and secluded deep rock pools.
A magical place. Learn more about Bardou, its history, about acommodation, the climate, what to discover around. Continue ...
Symphonic Holiday
30th June - 11th July 2027
Conductor: Cayenna Ponchione
Piano: Idith Meshulam Korman
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony No. 35 (Haffner)
Marianna Martines, Piano Concerto in G Major
Marianna Martines, Sinfonia in C Major
Joseph Haydn, Symphony No. 104 (London)
Follow Wolfgang-Amadeus and Marianna uphill and join us in the enchanting mountain hamlet Bardou for an exclusive orchestral academy.
When our soloist Idith Meshulam Korman first encountered the keyboard works of Marianna Martines she was immediately struck by the lyricism, originality and sheer beauty of the music. Martines was one of the most celebrated musicians of eighteenth-century Vienna. Although her ability to compose and perform professionally were constrained by her social status, Martines was esteemed by her contemporaries as a skilful composer, keyboard player, singer and notably also as a salonnière. Martines arranged academies which were salon-like gatherings, though in contrast to the French-style salon, there was a greater focus on music performance, while still facilitating intelligent conversation and meeting likeminded individuals. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart often was a guest and played with Martines, his favourite four-hands duet partner.
The musicians on our Symphonic Holiday in Bardou will have the privilege to get introduced to Martines' music by Cayenna Ponchione and Idith Meshulam Korman who together with the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra have most recently released on Signum Classics Martines' complete keyboard works and her Sinfonia in C Major, a symphony which in 2023 has been performed in concert by Berliner Philharmoniker.
Martines began piano lessons at the age of 7, learning from Joseph Haydn who lived in the same building as her family. Martines' music on the programme for this Symphonic Holiday will be framed by two well-known works of her musical partners and teachers in Vienna.
30th June 2027
Arrival of the participants in Bardou
ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS,
We will have two rehearsals per day, the first one in the morning, the second rehearsal in the evening after an early dinner.
The coaches will be in Bardou on the three days with sectionals (2nd, 3rd and 4th July).
In the afternoons you can explore the surrounding of Bardou with your hiking boots, dare a refreshing swim in the rock pools of the mountain streams or just enjoy the peace and quiet of Bardou.
5th July
A day without rehearsals, allowing longer excursions that might include: An outing to the beautiful historical town of Pézenas; visiting and wine tasting at local vineyards in the Faugère and St Chinian area; an exciting canoeing excursion on the river Orb or a hiking tour through the wonderful Caroux-plateau with its great variety of flora and fauna and stunning scenery including view of the Pyrenees.
9th July
In the evening we will have our first concert at Château de Cassan / Roujan
10th July
In the afternoon we will have our final concert in Saint-Chinian, followed by the farewell dinner in Bardou
11th July
Departure
ORCHESTRA
2 2 2 2 – 2 2 0 0 – tmp – str
TEAM
Conductor: Cayenna Ponchione
Coach violin: Rodrigo Bauzá
Coach viola: Louis Merlet
Coach cello / double bass: Constance Ricard
Wind sectionals with Cayenna Ponchione
GENERAL INFORMATION / FAQ
Please do also read our general information with frequently asked questions on Symphonic Holidays.
ACCOMMODATION
The participants will be accommodated in various houses of the hamlet in double rooms. A limited number of single rooms is available. The standard of the houses reflect the humble nature of the place in general. Please pay attention to the fact that toilettes and showers are located in central facilities of the village. We have one house (with two beds) available with private bath / toilette.
MEALS
We will take our meals together which are based on Mediterranean cooking with fresh regional products.
TRAVEL
The nearest airports and long distance train stations are Montpellier, Béziers and Toulouse. From here you have connecting trains or busses to Mons la Trivalle and Bédarieux. Pick up service to Bardou is provided (Bardou is not connected to public transport). Click here for detailed information. We are happy to help you with organizing your trip!
A magic place. Learn more about Bardou, its history, the infrastructure, about the climate, what to discover around. Continue ...
PRICE
1.190,- € (students: 790,- €) including accommodation and meals. Not included are travel expenses and expenses on excursions.
300,- € single room supplement
Supplement for house with private bath / toilette (with two beds): 300,- € each person
We can provide bedding (duvet/blanket, pillow, bed linen) and towels for 20,- €.
BOOKING
If you wish to book this Symphonic Holiday kindly use the booking form or send us an e.mail (mail@dacapo-travel.eu, writing in English, German, French or Italian). Your booking is binding as soon as we have confirmed it.
The reduced fee for students is limited to the number of five places on this Symphonic Holiday. Please send us an e.mail with a copy of your student id.
A non-refundable deposit of 150,- € is payable on confirmation that a booking has been accepted. The balance of the price is to be paid by 30th March 2027.
Minimum group size 30 participants. We might decide to cancel a programme if at any time up to three month before there were insufficient bookings. We would refund everything you had paid to us. We do not refund your travel expenses if you had booked your trip (for example flights or trains) prior to our confirmation of the programme.
Jonas Hees a fondé da capo orchestra & travel en 2016 avec Frédéric Tschumi. Violoncelliste amateur, il est aujourd’hui responsable de la gestion de da capo et de ses programmes. Chargé d’organiser la Sinfonietta à Bardou pendant plusieurs années, cette riche expérience lui a donné l’idée de développer et d´élargir le concept de vacances musicales à des musiciens amateurs. En tant que cuisinier passionné, il saura aussi mettre toute son attention pour vous proposer d’excellents repas durant vos vacances.
