Mara-final reflection

 The trip was over all amazing. There were so many new experiences and learning opportunities.  Not only did I learn from the different music concerts we went too, but I learned a lot from just being in these new places. There was so much to learn from the rich cultural histories of the different cities/countries we traveled to. It was a surreal experience to be at places I have read about in history books. The architecture was also amazing. There are so many intricately detailed buildings.

My favorite show was the Rachmoninof Ballet. I always love going to the ballet. I also thoroughly enjoyed the concerts during Mozart week. I love Mozart's music. His music often reminds of the spring. I also really liked the day we took a gondola up to the top of a mountain and hiked around. Nature is so awesome and it was cool to explore it in another country. 

Final Reflection- Anika Hille

    This was one of the most meaningful and impactful experiences I've ever had, for many reasons. The lessons I learned about music history, culture, interpretation, storytelling, expression, technique, and musicality will stay with me for the rest of my life. My ultimate career goal has always been to earn a DMA in Conducting and teach at the collegiate level, but after having this experience as a student, I want to share a trip like this with my future students. The pictures and blog posts are nothing compared to the actual experience, and each student walks away with a unique perspective that will influence them in ways they don't even know in the moment. 

These are the three largest lessons that will influence my own musical journey and how I view the craft I have chosen to pursue for the rest of my life: 

1. There’s something that happens in musical performances sometimes. When the foundation of technical precision is elevated by waves of simultaneous emotion. A hive mind occurs between the musicians, and the audience is invited to tune into this frequency. The Elijah performance at the Berlin Philharmonic showed me that a whole new level of music making is possible. I've witnessed this type of performance magic before, but I've never quite understood how the individual elements function to create this otherworldly sense. Elijah gave me a greater understanding of how I can achieve this in my own music-making. 

2. For me, the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia redefined what it means to communicate emotion through music. The whole ensemble was saying something. Something powerful. The emotions behind each musical phrase was begging to be heard and understood. And if you chose to open yourself up to the language, you could hear the message the orchestra had to say. And this wasn't a message that could be put into words. Such a powerful performance that left the audience in tears, including myself.  

3. The beauty of Mozart is in the push and pull, the ebb and flow of the music. Every single intricate aspect of the music has momentum, it has motivation and direction. The Mozart style really shows how notes can be played or sung with a spectrum of weight and buoyancy. There’s so, so much more to the music than what is on the page. The Vienna Philharmonic reminded me of the crucial importance of diligent score study, and how much more there can be when interpreting the music. The beauty is in each small detail of the interpretation that is woven together to form a beautiful tapestry of sound.

I knew this trip would be special, and I knew it would broaden my worldview. But I had no idea it would open my eyes to a level of musicality that I didn't know existed. I've witnessed musical excellence elevated to a new level of performance that has the capacity to connect musicians and audiences with each other, with themselves, with history, and with what it means to be human. 

Salzburg: LET US EAT CAKE

    Our last city ended up being my favorite I think, which is why it was such a shame when I got sick on our second day there. Salzburg isn't exactly a small town, but it still maintains a small town vibe with plenty to do without the crowds and hustle of the larger cities we've visited. A large fortress stands tall in the middle of the gigantic maze of historic pastel buildings and church spires, and snow capped mountains in the distance feed the idyllic river that splits the city. Of all the cities we've been to, Salzburg offered a homey and welcoming atmosphere that I'm very eager to return to. Plus, seeing sites from the Sound of Music was super cool. I know Mozart hated it, but I loved it. 

    I enjoy Mozarts music, but I never really understood why people went so crazy over the brilliance of it. However, after listening to a week of Mozart being played by some of the best orchestras in the world, I can now deeply appreciate the technique and finesse required for interpreting the Mozart style. Hearing the Mozart Credo Mass in the Church where Mozart himself was baptized was an ethereal experience, and that was definitely the best church choir I've ever heard. 

    A major highlight of the trip was taking a gondola up a mountain on the edge of the Alps. I wasn't sure we were even going to be able to see the Alps due to the foggy and overcast weather, but being able to actually walk along the ridge line overlooking a sea of mountains was incredible. I'll definitely be returning to Salzburg at some point to explore more of the beautiful downtown, wonderful music, and idyllic scenery of the surrounding area. Also to continue the search for the Mozart birthday cake Dr. Powell promised us, which we never found. Salzburg did not disappoint, except when it came to the appalling lack of free Mozart cake. :/

Lillian's final reflection

    I am ecstatic to say that this trip completely blew me out of the water. I am so grateful that I was able to be part of such an amazing trip. Something I didn't necessarily expect each city visited would be so different. Berlin felt very busy but open, Leipzig more quaint and quiet, Prague: bustling and exciting, Wien: extremally artistic and Salzburg: gorgeous and refreshing. Though, I am sure that if I go back again each of these cities will feel different than the time before. These descriptions are due mostly to the activities I did in each city and are subject to change the next time I go. 

    During the last month, I experienced record breaking concert attendance. To go from never hearing a professional orchestra to hearing new performances by many in just a month was shocking and extremely educational. There are many performances that stuck out to me however two continue to resonate with me today. The first was the Gewandhaus orchestra's set. The first two pieces had such artistry that I my mind did not even wander. Our seats were facing the conductor and being able to see the instrumentalists fingers playing there instruments was fascinating and extremally enjoyable. The extreme variety of the set was also greatly appreciated and kept me entertained. Hearing an orchestra that put that much thought and emotion into the compositions was refreshing and I am not sure I will hear something like it again in a long while. The second performance that I heavily enjoyed was the Rachmaninoff ballet. To see his piano concertos set to choreography was absolutely show stopping. The first half of the program was fairly decent but the second had me sobbing in the bathroom trying to collect myself after it was finished. It was absolutely incredible and I loved the choreographers interpretation of the concerto. 

    Overall my experience in each city was very similar, filled with immense joy and wonder. I am beyond grateful to have been able to been an addition to this trip and am excited that my travel bug has just begun. 

Below are miscellaneous pictures throughout the trip that I enjoy

Lindsey, Me, Parker and Ryan throwing out a peace sign

What has this eye seen?

Frog!

Lennon in Berlin?

Similar Silhouettes

Snow Bear

Mozart in a puddle

A walk back from the Abbey

 

Mariestra Reflection (Marie)

     I won't soon forget the experiences I had in each city on the Music Centers of the World study away trip. I didn't expect much to change about me while I was away, but I believe the constant unsureness I feel while traveling, as well as acting like a silly music tourist around smirking locals did something great for my confidence. I also would not have had anywhere near as much fun if I hadn't allowed myself to be a silly music tourist, so I'm happy I made the decision to let go.

    I thought I'd take this opportunity to share some of my favorite moments from this class, both surrounding music and away from it. My favorite performances were the Berlin Philharmonic performing Mendelssohn's Elijah, the Rachmaninoff Ballet, Kate and the Devil, and the Orchestra dell'Academia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The most sacred moment for me on this trip happened during the latter's performance, after the audience clapped so long they forced the entire orchestra into an encore. I was completely surprised by Edward Elgar's Nimrod from the Enigma Variations, a short piece that struck me with its beauty the first time I ever heard it. To hear it being performed by such an esteemed and incredibly expressive orchestra as a surprise encore was an experience I'll never forget. I closed my eyes immediately so I could absorb the absolute beauty of it all, and just cried. In that moment my penny pinching for the trip (though it felt worth it already) felt more worth-it than it ever had thus far.

    Another favorite moment of mine was my time in Beethoven's apartment in Vienna. I may or may not have broken a rule or two for the sake of making memories, but it was worth it. Sorry I'm so young and cool and rebellious. I was also able to see the manuscripts for symphonies 3, 4, and 5 while I was in Prague, and I met the amazing Max Klinger Beethoven statue. As a Beethoven lover I was very satisfied with this trip. I love you Beethoven. 

    I have many stories from this trip that I'll be telling years from now. Thank you to Dr. Powell, because he rocks at planning music trips, and thank you me for pinching pennies for a couple years for this trip, and thanks to the ghost of Beethoven for making classical music less stuffy, and for making the 3rd, which made me an obsessive lover of classical music. I don't think I'd have these stories without it.

Feast Your Eyes

Caught being cold in front of Antonin Dvorak

Prague

Also cold in Leipzig

Leipzig

Forgs

Neues Museum, Berlin

Communicating.

Neues Museum, Berlin

That's not what he looks like

Bach Museum Gift Shop, Leipzig

>:(

Leipzig

The best coffee I've ever had made by an Italian 

man in Prague, also says "delicious paper" on the heat sleeve

delicious paper & coffee

Experiencing culture (i.e. alcohol) with my

Death in the Afternoon from an Absintherie. I actually loved it

Prague

Beethoven's piano which I didn't break any rules around

Vienna

Samlalander (Medusa)

Vienna

Lennon next to the 4,000 year old grippers

Vienna

Maestra in Salzburg (Marie)

     I can't lie, by the time I arrived in Salzburg I was exhausted. I got sick around my second day there, so walking about 30 minutes to the good food spots felt like absolute hell. My personal gems for restaurants were Triangel, though it was expensive, Zum Zirkelwirt, which was a bit less expensive but still about 20-30 euros per person, and the tiramisu at Cafe Tomaselli, which is the cafe where Mozart repeatedly sat down for drinks even though he reported hating everything about the little place.

    Visiting the historical sites, such as Mozart's birth house and the fortress atop the hill, was definitely a highlight of my stay in Salzburg. If my favorite aspect of the birth house was not that I got to see his violin, it would have to be seeing many examples of all the ways that history attempts to cover up the fact that Mozart was short and average looking. My favorites had to be his obviously sharpened jawline on the famous Mozart candies sold both in the museum gift shop and all over Salzburg, and the very strange addition of a well-kept beard to his portrait on a postcard, which I've included as one of the photos below.

    Staying in Salzburg during Mozart week was definitely an experience in itself. I would not consider myself a Mozart lover, but seeing the reverence in the way each ensemble performed his music was a great experience. I often thanked the stars that historians recently decided that Mozart loved drama in his music; each interpretation was far more lively than any I've heard before. To think that not long ago, historians insisted that he enjoyed subtlety over all else gives me a feeling of nervous relief akin to what one might experience after having dodged a bullet when I think about how I experienced Mozart's music during Mozart week. Luckily I was able to enjoy the dramatic interpretation his music deserves. My general feelings about Mozart aside, though, Salzburg was an experience I won't forget soon.

Unfortunately, being sick meant I didn't have much energy for snapping photos in front of the exaggeratedly handsome Mozart statue. I think the Mozart-with-a-beard photo makes up for it, though.

My baton at the Groβes Festspielhaus

Mozart with a beard. I should have bought it.

Inside the Salzburg cathedral.

One of the four smaller organs in the Salzburg cathedral.

Salzburg from the fortress.

Final ReflAidanection

That's a lot

Wow, we did a lot of stuff. That must've been the busiest month of my life. It was stressful at times, and really enjoyable at others. I strengthened friendships and made new ones. Additionally, I strengthened music tastes and made new ones. I had only technically been out of the country one time before, but it wasn't overseas. I learned a lot, not necessarily about music, but about Europe (lots of European history), and about traveling (especially how to use public transportation). I learned fancy concert etiquette and to stand up and walk around at intermissions so I'm more focused. I learned how to use a scarf and gloves in the winter, and I learned how to buy stuff in other countries. I learned what makes each of the countries great. I didn't think I'd be homesick, but I was definitely homesick towards the end. I learned to appreciate the free water at restaurants and free public bathrooms we have in America. 

Musical Impact Report

The grand exposure to classical music I received has impacted me a little bit. I always liked classical music before, although highly selective. Holst's The Planets, various commonly known symphonic works like In The Hall of the Mountain King, and soundtrack music was what I listened to in the genre. I never just listened to Bach for the sake of Bach, Beethoven for the sake of Beethoven, etc. However, after listening to so much classical music I liked (and some that I didn't), I can say that I aspire to explore Beethoven, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Dvorak, and more. 

Final Bird Rating

I've observed and rated each city based on bird content using a highly complex rating algorithm (my brain). Each city has received a score out of 5 stars, and now it is time to reveal the winner. 

The winner is.......

A tie between Birdlin and Prague! Both locations had very photogenic and abundant birds everywhere. No doubt about it, if you like birds, you'll love Berlin and Prague. 

Favorite Pictures

Here are some of my favorite pictures from each city: 

Berlin

Leipzig

Prague

Vienna

Salzburg