Sam Wright '23
IES Vienna
Apart from the program-wide excursions, a handful of my classes had built in excursions that were part of the course. My Viennese Theater class was structured around the performances that were being put on at the time, so that we could see live performances of each piece we studied. We saw shows at the Burgtheater, the Volkstheater, and at the Theater in der Josefstadt. My composition class also had some excursions, the first being to a Beethoven concert at the Musikverein, the second being a modern theatrical and chamber composition that was performed over three floors at the literature museum. Lastly, my german class had an excursion to the Leopold Museum.
Atlas Finch '20
DIS Copenhagen
I found it really easy to go out and experience the city both in class and on my own or with friends. This helped me hear music but also learn about the city itself. I also learned a lot about mixing using analog mixing desks at RDAM, which was something I had been wanting to do for a long time, and I wouldn't have an opportunity to do while at Amherst. I made a lot of friends that I will continue to see for the rest of my life. I'm happy with how the semester turned out.
Audrey Cheng '20
IES Vienna
My theory professor took us to so many museums related to Jewish Viennese composers in World War II (it was his research area) and arranged for curators to talk to us, and I always loved them…I really gained a wider understanding of classical music! Not in a way I expected though--I learned so much about how to appreciate modern music and how composers really sought to redefine what music meant. I did end up seeing so many concerts (less often as the semester went on) but in the second week I literally went to a concert every single night. I got to sit 4th row at Kissin's concert. I always did standing room for operas which require a 3-4 hour wait so I eventually stopped going, but in the summer the opera house started broadcasting outdoors so I went more often again.
Linda Solval '18
IFSA Santiago, Chile
I believe all of my goals were met, although some of them not in the way I had imagined them to be. I did learn a lot about Chilean culture and in many ways… As for the music, I got exactly what I wanted and more. I learned so much about artists, deceased and current, that want to bring back the folkloric music of Chile. There are so many street artists in the metro and on the street that play both pop music and folkloric music/ the music that is originally from Chile.
