Study Abroad Offers Exciting and Life-Changing Experiences
Here’s a sampling of some of the experiences music students have had abroad recently:
Five Cents Sharp, a brass quintet, was selected to be the scholarship quintet at Brass in Frankenwald, in Lichtenburg, Germany, this past August. Besides rehearsals, clinics, and interactions with other performing groups from Germany and Russia, they performed in both Hof and Lichtenburg. The quintet is made up of five juniors: trumpet players Jon Stewart and Chris Tolbert, horn player Mike Drennan, trombonist J.C. VonHoltz, and tubist Dan Troiano. In an interview with the Ithacan Stewart noted, "It's kind of funny because when we first started, there was no notion that we would be getting paid to play overseas. We just wanted to play some music." Tolbert added, "In the first half of the final concert, our quintet was the big act. It felt like we were taking our first step into the professional world with this."
Students who spent the spring of 2008 at the London Center included French horn player Bryn Coveney '09, violinist Shawn Riley '08, and violist Lauren Buono '08. Buono reported: "It was the best experience of my life, and I recommend that every student venture abroad at some point in their collegiate career. London, as any city, is so diverse. Immediately when you stroll down the street you are immersed in so many cultures. London has an old historical charm that you would never get from any city in the United States. My classes were amazing. We would talk about a play and then go see it live. We were always going to shows, concerts, and museums. My viola teacher was incredible. I never had a bad lesson. It was so interesting to have a different point of view and also to work with a musician who has a studio career and plays on all of the latest movie scores. Lastly, one of the best things about being abroad is the ease of travel. Almost every weekend I would go to a different place, like Paris, Amsterdam, or Italy. It was very cheap and easy to travel around. It's an experience I will hold dear to my heart. Who gets the chance to just get up and go to Paris for the weekend?"
Voice students Elena Galván '10, Kelly Harbison '09, and Nicole Guberman '09 participated in the summer program at Spoleto, Italy. Kelly Harbison described the experience: "The Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium was truly one of the best experiences of my life. All of the faculty and singers were fabulous and gave me the excellent support and guidance that I need at this point in my development as a singer. We had the opportunity to work with amazing teachers and coaches, such as Enza Ferrari, who has worked all over the world with famous singers, including one of my absolute favorites, Maria Callas. Knowing that I have worked with the same coach as someone I respect and admire as much as Maria Callas is very meaningful to me. The town itself is charming. There was so much natural beauty and history. It was the experience of a lifetime!"
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