Our Tours

Diatonic have enjoyed five concert tours abroad, all in Europe, the last four accompanied (and organized) by Oriana, the group directed since the 1990s by David Moss, the founder of Diatonic.

September 2016 Tour to Prague, Czech Republic

Diatonic members joined forces with members of Oriana, a group based in the Cotswolds led by David Moss, founder of Diatonic in 1987, on a most enjoyable concert and sight-seeing six-day tour based in the beautiful and historic city of Prague, the capital of Czech Republic.

We toured the sights of the city by tram, bus and on foot, accompanied by our enthusiastic Czech guide Uitke (pronounced ‘Yitka’).  Sights included the castle with St.Vitus cathedral, Old Town Square with its splendid Astronomical Clock and unique Tyn Church, the famous Karluv Most (Charles Bridge), and a cruise up and down the Vltava river that flows through the city.

We enjoyed two day-excursions:-
The first was to Kutna Hora, where we visited the Sedlec Ossuary with its bizarre massed collection of human bones, the Silver Mine - a guided tour, the tunnels of which some of us braved, and the beautiful St.Barbara’s Gothic Cathedral, with its three unique pointed ‘domes’.

The second was to the glass-works at Karlovy Vary.
We gave three concerts, all in Prague, the first at the small church of St Martin in the Wall, at which we performed, to an enthusiastic full house, sacred Elizabethan anthems, English part-songs & David’s arrangements of English folk-songs. The second was at the Czech Evangelical Church – the same music.

Finally we performed for Mass at the imposing St.Nicholas Church in Old Town Square.  This was led by a young woman priest, who sang much of the Mass in a beautiful & pure voice.  Finally, we gave a shortened version of the first two concerts.

The tour was blessed by hot, dry weather, our excellent hotel, the friendly people, and faultless organisation for which Lisa in particular is to be thanked and congratulated!

June 2014 Tour to Rhineland (based at Koblenz)

June 12th The tour began with a visit to the magnificent Cologne Cathedral, where we were greatly privileged to sing for a well-attended service. 
We then proceeded to Bonn in order to visit the house where Beethoven was born.  This is full of many fascinating relics, but alas no original document containing the great man’s handwriting.
13th In the morning, we visited Kloster Ehrenstein, a beautiful holy ‘retreat’. (contributions please!)
The on to Ashbach to view the Steam Museum, and give a concert which was highly praised in the local newspaper.

14th We went on a splendid cruise on the Rhine from St.Goarshausen to Kaub, with beautiful scenery.
This was followed by sightseeing in Rüdesheim-am-Rhein, a most attractive tourist spot, in a beautiful setting on the river.
It includes Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett, a delightful gem containing many unusual and amusing, playable and mechanical musical instruments. 
We then took the cable car up to the Niedewald Monument, a rather forbidding warlike statue.  However, the views of the rhine valley were splendid.
15th we sang mass at the church of St.Cyriakus in Nieder-Mendig, and visited the splendid, well-preserved Burg Eltz Castle in the afternoon.  The latter is packed with fascinating historical features, and stands in splendid scenery above the Moselle river.
16th In the morning, we experienced stunning views of a near-360° bend in the Rhine from the chair-lift at Boppard.
After lunch, we visited the old medieval town ofAndernach, with its "Runde Turm" (round tower).
17th On our final day in Germany, we did some extensive sightseeing in Koblenz, gave a concert in the Florinskirche, and ended with a meal Wirthaus Alt Coblenz restaurant.

18th We journeyed back home after yet another another splendid tour!

April 2012 Tour to Rouen

Next day, we enjoyed a guided tour of Rouen, in particular its splendid and historic high-Gothic Cathedral, followed by the art gallery.
On the morning of the final day, we were most privileged to sing at morning mass in the cathedral itself, standing in a semi-circle in front of the altar.  The occasion was directed by a young man, not in formal dress, who strode confidently between us and congregation, conducting and singing solo.
We journeyed home in the afternoon, celebrating another splendid tour!

May 2010 Tour to Salamanca, Avila, Toledo and Alcalá

We gave our first, well-attended, concert in the church of San Benito.
Next day, four of us hired a car and journeyed up mount La Peña de Francia in quest of birds, a most enjoyable and fruitful excursion.  On the way back, we visited the charming small town of La Alberca.  
Next day (June 3rd) we journeyed to the charming walled town of Avila.  After a walk around the tops of walls, we gave a concert in the church of Santo Thomas, after which we journeyed on to Toledo.
Next day we sampled the splendid sights of Toledo.
We then proceeded to Alcalá, and gave a concert in the Catedral Magestral in the evening.

We spent the last day sightseeing in Toledo, and finally sang at a service in the monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes.
All-in-all, this was a wonderful tour, with never a dull moment!

February 2008 Tour to Seville, Cordoba & Granada

In the afternoon, we gave a concert in Circulo Mercantil.
Next day, we sang for High Mass in the truly fabulous Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) in the cathedral, a privilege granted to few.
After a day of sightseeing, we journeyed to Cordoba in order to experience the, with its amazing many-arched ‘Mesquita’ with a gothic cathedral fitted somehow into the middle.
On the same day we reached Granada and its famous Alhambra Palace, which we visited next day.  It is a beautiful and elegant collection of buildings, though somewhat strange due to its total absence of pictures and statues of people.
In the evening, we gave a concert in the wondrous and most hospitable Basilica de la Senora de las Angustinas.
On the last day, a party of us drove up Sierra de Huetor mountain in quest of wildlife (particularly birds) – a wonderful day out.
In the final evening, we went to a Flamenco concert.
An unforgettable holiday – for all the right reasons!

June 2002 Tour to Normandy [Diatonic]

We were based in a hotel in Rouen, from which we travelled to three other towns, one per day, giving concerts in all three.
We also toured the sights of Rouen, including the great cathedral.

The music Bernard chose was a variety of short works by Purcell, Parry, Poulenc and Bruckner, as well as some English madrigals.  The longest work was a Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd.

The first visit was to Écouis about 25km SE of Rouen.  We sang for mass in La Collégiale Notre-Dame d'Écouis. 

At the end, word went round that the audience wished to hear us sing ‘God save the Queen’ – we duly obliged, though we struggled with the words of the second verse!  All the audience stood up – except two, and we found out afterwards that they were Australian!

Afterwards, the priest unexpectedly, most kindly, and enthusiastically gave us a splendid lunch in the open air – the weather was perfect!

The second visit was to St.Aubin-sur-mer on the channel coast about 110km west of Rouen, directly north of Caen. 

The town is at the east end of what was Juno Beach at which Canadian forces landed on D-day.  We had the honour of singing in the main church for a ceremony celebrating this momentous event, and at a reception afterwards encountered at least one man who had taken part in the landings.

The third visit was to Honfleur, at the mouth of the river Seine opposite Le Havre, about 60km west of Rouen.  Here, we gave a concert in St Catherine’s Church, famed for having 2 parallel naves modelled on the hull of an upside-down ship.  Afterwards, we had a meal in the delightful Honfleur harbour, before journeying back to Rouen for the last time. (PHOTOS)