Leipzey

Spending some time in Leipzig was a rewarding experience because it gave me hope in a larger musical community that I didn't yet know could be accessible to audiences and musicians alike. The concerts brought another level of musicianship and expressiveness to the music that was being performed, and the interactive experiences like museums and walking tours made the music easy for anyone to engage in and understand in their own ways - with or without a musical background. The Gewandhaus Orchester was the first performance that we saw in Leipzig, and it set the tone for the rest of the trip with the sheer technical force that the Gewandhaus Orchester brought to the music, but my favorite musical experience we had in Leipzig was the ballet.  I loved the Rachmaninov ballet because it brought intrigue to the work that made the music come to life in a way that isn't often found in traditional concert setting.

And now, because a picture is worth 1000 words, I'll just add captions to the pictures to describe my experiences.

Gewandhaus Orchester with Anika and Lillian!

Aside from the musical aspect, the food and dining experience in Leipzig was INCREDIBLE! On my first night, I went to an Italian restaurant for dinner on my own, and the Italian waiter and I started speaking in German, then moved on to English, and then eventually landed on speaking Italian and Spanish to each other to communicate. When he asked me where I was from, he was surprised to hear that I was an American - which felt like a compliment to me! The gnocchi alla Sorrentina was delicious, and then for most of my other meals, I went to Cafe Riquet - mostly for the vibes and yummy coffee and teas that they offer. The decor is also gorgeous and I liked the cakes, even if they might've been a little too sweet for me. Above is a picture of Lillian and Parker and I's meal at our first time visiting Cafe Riquet.

Lillian, Lennon, Marie, and I had a shopping day and Lil and I found some pretty great glasses. 75% off section in Urban Outfitters was a dream scenario for me.

The class got an incredible demonstration of the organs in Thomas Kirche (the church that Bach worked at for most of his career), and our classmate and friend Parker had the amazing honor of playing both organs, and then a few days later got to have a lesson with the organist there that Lillian and I got to sit in on to listen to. Parker played really well and did a good job following the advice that Johannes gave him.

Lillian and I enjoyed the Bach museum.

Lillian, Anika, and I on our walking tour. Just excited to be there.