November 2019:
Wolfgang Buchmann, founder of music&friends, was honoured by the Association of Czech Choirs for his contribution to the development of international cooperation in the field of choral music. The award was presented on 11.11.2019 at the concert "Mirror of Friendship" during the festival festa academica in the building of the Czech Senate by Mr. Mgr. Jiří Růžička (1st Deputy President of the Senate in the Parliament of the Czech Republic) and Mr. Mgr. Roman Michálek, Ph.D. (Chairman of the Association of Czech Choirs).
March 2020:
Due to the corona virus and the associated travel restrictions, all our events are cancelled until end of May 2020. We will inform you about the further procedure at a later date, when realistic assessments are possible. The planning for the 2nd half of 2020 continues normally. Don't hesitate to contact us for any question!
August 2020:
Due to the corona virus music&friends has to cancel all further events including the Cantate Dresden at the beginning of November. The preparations for the Advent Sing Prague are still in progress; the city administration in Prague will decide about the general conditions for the Christmas market and the related cultural programme on the open-air stage in the next weeks.
Choirs and music groups planning an intensive rehearsal weekend can get an offer from music&friends in the spa Marianske Lazne (Marienbad), Dresden and near Amsterdam.
October 2020:
The City of Prague has cancelled the big Christmas market on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Due to the expected crowds of people, this year this tradition has to be cancelled, said the responsible city council. As a result, the Prague 2020 Advent Sing will also be cancelled!
December 2020:
After the first vaccines are available, a return to normality is expected from the second half of 2021. This will also mean that choirs and music groups will be able to rehearse and perform again. music&friends will therefore offer international meetings and concert tours within Europe again from mid-2021. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
May 2021:
By the summer of 2021, a large part of the population will have been vaccinated against Corona and a return to normal rehearsals and performances of musical groups will be possible; even though - depending on incidence - individual restrictions will still be in place. We expect to be able to hold international events again from autumn 2021 on a smaller scale and in accordance with the restrictions then in force. Reservations can be cancelled up to a few weeks before the event and payments are only due shortly before the event in order to minimize the risk for interested music groups.
February 2022:
After the Omikron variant goes down, many of the Corona restrictions will be lifted. music&friends will offer its international events again from April 2022. It is expected that in 2022 these events will be on a smaller scale than before the pandemic.
Some of the events will be moved from spring to summer, when they are more likely to take place.