With a cosmopolitan populace in an ancient and historical land, Israel and its exceptional tourism industry offer travelers myriad flavors, cultures, sights and sounds. Musicians can explore old Yiddish or Sephardic traditions, new Israeli music or the country’s booming classical music scene.

Israeli musicians are celebrated across the musical spectrum and are found playing in numerous famous symphony orchestras around the world. Classical Movements started traveling to the Middle East in 1994, first with its brochure program under Blue Heart Tours. It has organized 50 different trips with individualized itineraries in recent years for the Collegiate Chorale, Yale Symphony Orchestra, Yale Alumni Chorus, George Washington University, Yale Glee Club and the Yale Institute of Music (among others). Classical Movements also works closely with Middle Eastern musicians: in 2003, it arranged the historic tour of the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra to the United States.

Sights & Sounds

  • Jerusalem
  • Jewish, Christian & Muslim holy sites
  • Tower of David
  • Nazareth
  • Roman and Byzantine ruins
  • Dead Sea
  • Tel Aviv
  • Israeli Opera
  • The Culture Palace
  • Haifa
  • Sea of Galilee
  • Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Israel Chamber Orchestra

Testimonials

“I wanted to take a moment to let you know how much I enjoyed traveling with the choir to the Middle East…The travel arrangements were first rate, and it was obvious much thought was put into making sure we saw a wide sampling of each area we visited and experienced the culture and the people. Thank you, again, for making the choir’s travels an experience others can share. Insha’llah (God willing) I will be able to do this again.”

-Guest Traveler

Press

“The Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra visit involved a human element that transcended the usual business of arranging orchestra tours for Neeta Helms, executive vice president of Classical Movements. She ushered the musicians from their first nerve-wracking security checks at New York’s JFK Airport to their last tourist stop at Rockefeller Center on the way out of the country.”

-Symphony Magazine, March – April 2004