Toronto -- One of Germany’s oldest cities, Augsburg, is the birthplace of Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus’s father, a town in southern Germany visited often by the great composer. This year, Augsburg celebrates the Mozart family, who lived in the region for generations.

One of the celebrations’ highlights is the 55^th German Mozart Festival, lasting over a period of seven month, ending in July. The main event of the festival program will take place May 12 to May 28, when conductor Bruno Weil presents four important works from Mozart’s Salzburg years (1773-1777) with Canada’s own, internationally renowned "Tafelmusik Orchestra".

From May 14 to May 21, there will be special programs for children, and adults can hear, on May 16, "In Concert – the Authentic Mozart Experience", when Mozart pieces will be played on the violin that belonged to Leopold Mozart.

Mozart’s father also lends his name to an international violin competition, when for 11 exciting days the most talented violinists from universities around the world will compete. The 12,500-Euro ‘Mozart Prize’ will be awarded on May 26 in a concert with the Munich Radio Orchestra.

Augsburg is also offering various Mozart tours and a special travel guide, called "The

Mozarts – The German Mozart City Augsburg and Mozart Sites in the Region". The guide provides detailed and entertaining information about the life of the Mozarts who lived here for generations working as craftsmen, sculptors and bookbinders.