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Oompah Pah-ckages: 2004 German Music Festivals, Deals to Get You There

November 5, 2003 -- Our western musical heritage owes a great deal to Germany, and I'm not talking about beer barrel polkas. Think not only of Bach and Beethoven but of modern masters, such as Wagner and Richard Strauss. Then consider the many bargains available for getting to Germany to enjoy the dozens of musical events coming up this winter and spring. If you're a music lover, the choice should be easy.

Major Musical Events in 2004

Note to our readers: These sites for the various festivals are in German, but just look for the Union Jack, American Flag or "English" to bring up the English-language versions.

In Berlin, there's the Festival of Contemporary Music (Marzmusik) from March 18 to 28. Chamber, orchestral, experimental, conceptual and media art-oriented productions predominate. Check out www.berlinerfestspiele.de.

The music Triennale 2004 in Cologne consists of over 80 concerts, exhibitions, readings, films and more, all concentrating on 20th-century music, from April 17-May 9. In Dresden, consider the International Dixieland Festival, from May 13-16. This is the second-largest festival of its kind in the world, with about 40 bands from Europe and America. Concerts, paddle steamer rides, a Dixieland parade and a jam session on Theaterplatz are the highlights. See www.dixieland.de.

Dusseldorf has its 12th Annual Jazz Rally from June 25-27, with over 100 concerts on stages as varied as the airport, the state parliament and several museums. From July 4 to 18, the town has its Eighth Annual Schumann Festival of Classical Music, celebrating one of its most famous former residents. Daily concerts include everything from Schumann's own work to jazz. For both these events, check out www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de.

The Frankfurt International Musicfair runs from March 31 through April 30. It's the leading trade fair for musical instruments, music software, computer hardware, sheet music and accessories. Fans will have the chance to see a host of famous musicians in action, too. See www.musikmesse.com. Better yet, the Sound of Frankfurt held in July should drawn even more than the half million visitors it did this year, with more than 70 bands performing in the city center. You'll hear rock, rap, techno, and Latin American music.

For the first time since 1965, Hamburg will host Bachfest, from October 30 to November 7. Concerts take place in the Musikhalle Hamburg and five of the city's churches, focusing on Bach's cantatas. Look at www.hamburg-tourismus.de.

Munich presents its Ninth Biennale May 12-28, with musical theater including five world premieres of new pieces. The theme this year is "visiting foreign places." Check out www.muenchenerbiennale.de.

Down in Stuttgart, the prize is the European Music Festival, organized annually by the International Bach Academy. Running from August 28 through September 12, there's a mixture of concerts and workshops for music lovers. See www.stuttgart-tourist.de.

Package Deals with Oomph

While some of the air and hotel combos going on now will expire before some of these festivals even take place, the providers listed below should be whom you turn to for finding the most affordable deals. In additional, be sure to check out David Lytle's article in today's Newsletter covering Go-Today's air/hotel and air/rental car packages for the spring and summer.

You'll pay just $664 for a Germany Manors & Castles package from Celtic Tours, including roundtrip air from New York, three nights in a castle or manor with buffet breakfast and a rental car with all local taxes. Valid November 16 to December 14, 2003 and again from January 3 to March 31, 2004, Contact them at www.celtictours.com or at 800/833-4373.

Europe Express has a neat Berlin Winter Supersaver from $654, including roundtrip air (and airport taxes and fees) out of New York, Newark and Boston, six nights in a hotel, city circle tour, daily continental breakfast, hotel taxes and service charges. Check out www.europeexpress.com or phone 800/927-3876. Purchase by December 2 for travel through March 25.

At Globus, if you book and deposit your 2004 air-inclusive vacation money by December 31, 2003, you can save $400 per couple. Visit www.globusjourneys.com for details or to order brochures.

Nordique Tours offers six day/four-night trips in one of many German cities from $599 including Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig and others, with roundtrip air on Lufthansa, four nights in a four-star hotel and daily breakfast. Visit www.nordiquetours.com or phone 800/995-7997.

Prideworld Travel, which specializes in trips for gay and lesbian clients, offers "Go Any Day" specials for three nights in Berlin, Cologne, Munich and Hamburg from $325-$370 through March 25, land-only. Phone them at 866/PRIDE 36 or visit www.prideworldtravel.com.

Virgin Vacations has packages to Berlin from $489 (six nights), Munich from $459 (three nights) and a combo Berlin/Dresden/Prague deal from $729 (six nights). Deadline for booking is December 2, 2003. Visit www.virginvacations.com or phone 888/937-8474.

For more information on other deals -- including a two-for-one offer via United and Lufthansa and car rental specials -- and Germany itself, visit www.cometogermany.com or phone the German National Tourist Office at 212/661-7200, fax 212/661-7174.

Have you attended a musical festival in Germany? We'd love to read about your experiences. Just polka over to our Germany Message Boards to start posting. Well-written and informative stories will be featured in the Reader's Voice section of the Frommers.com Newsletter.


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