| Roderen is located 6 km south of Thann. Altkirch is located 20 km southwest of Mulhouse, and 34 km directly east of Belfort. We also visited Alsace - A very beautiful and picturesque part of France. Alsace is also located near the German border. Storks may be seen on roofs and chimneys in this area. IYSO was hosted in both villages and presented a concert in each one. This is the first time these 2 communities have hosted Blue Lake. |
| Aurich is located 25 km southeast of Norden (on the North Sea) and is in the northwest corner of Germany known as Ostfriesland. This community has been involved in the Blue Lake International Program since 1973. The community Folk Dance Group, the Norden and Aurich Music Schools and their Director have hosted the Choir, Band and the IYSO many times in the past. In return, they have also visited Michigan with their dancers and youth orchestra several times. The Ostfriesche Youth Orchestra will visit as guests of Blue Lake in the Fall of 2001. |
| Itzehoe is located 50 km northwest of Hamburg in a section of Germany known as Schleswig-Holstein. Our orchestra is hosted by the Kaiser-Karl-Schule Theatre Group, which has hosted IYSO (International Youth Symphony Orchestra) twice in the past. They have also been hosted in Michigan twice previously. The Itzehoe Theatre was an excellent concert facility in which to perform. We were hosted by theatre students of the Kaiser-Karl-Schul. |
| Rheinsberg is located 20 km north of Neuruppin and 50 km northwest of Orienburg and approximately 75 km north of Berlin (in the former "East Germany"). The community is located on a beutiful little lake and has a wonderful castle which has an open air theatre for annual opera presentations. Nearby is also a brand new luxury hotel which has been built specifically for handicapped persons. The Castle that we played in has a very important historical connection with Freidrich the Great. It was his home! This community has hosted the Blue Lake Band 2 years ago. There were 2 performances: one in the Castle Theatre and one in the new luxury hotel. |
| Meitingen is situated in Bavaria, which is located 15 km north of Augsburg and approximately 60 km northwest of Muchen (Munich). This community has hosted Blue Lake International groups several times in the past and their Band (our IYSO host families) will be touring Michigan as guests of Blue Lake for the second time this coming summer. |
| Ottobrunn is also located in Bavaria and is just on the outskirts of Muchen (Munich) (southeast). Our chairman in this community was a member of the violin section of the Ahrehsburg Youth Orchestra: one of the first European Groups to visit Michigan as part of the Blue Lake exchange program. |
| Bad Kissingen is located in the Northern part of Bavaria known as "Franken". Our chairman in this community was a Blue Lake Camper (violinist) many years ago. This will be the 9th time she has hosted the Blue Lake IYSO here. There will be 2 concerts: one in Schweinfurt and one in the Evangeliche Lutheran Kirche in Bad Kissingen... a beautiful "Kur Ort" (Spa). |