Students Travel for American Celebration of Music in Austria and Germany over Spring Break

 

CCES students of all ages were spread across the country and the world last week for spring break, on trips of an educational and service-oriented nature, as well as for some much needed relaxation! One of the most exciting trips, organized by the school, was a music tour through Austria & Germany with Dr. Robin Garner, CCES Director of the Arts and members of the Upper School School Choir and Band.

 

The following students went on the trip: Adelaide Vergnolle, Carlee Norwood, Ritika Surhabi, Kevin Connaughton, Max Shetterly, Jack Sasser, Cam Moser, Megan Allen, Audrey Buffington, Zoe Gandis, Elizabeth Willcox, Shea Waters, Sofia Renner Andreu, Cici Zhao, Sarah Phillips, Weston Segura, Aiden Owens, Jarod Picciano, Christopher Nottingham, Michael McGrady, Michael Rothgaber, Sophie Calderon, Austin George, Isaac Kornaros, and Patrick Wier.

 

As they boarded the plane at Charlotte Douglas International Airport en route to Vienna, students were overcome with excitement and anticipation for the adventure ahead! “I decided to go on the choir trip because I had never been to Europe before and going with some of my closest friends was a once in a lifetime opportunity!” said Ritika Surabhi, CCES Class of 2019. “This trip was the opportunity of a life time,” Carlee Norwwod, Class of 2019 commented. “The music that we had been learning in choir all year was incredible and I wanted to go on the trip to help share all of our hard work and dedication with other people from different cultures.”

 

The first stop was the Vienna Central Cemetery to visit the graves of Beethoven, Strauss, Brahms, Schubert, and the Mozart Memoria. A dinner reception at the home of Dr. Jutta Unkart-Seifert also took place that first evening before a good night’s sleep was in order!

 

The following day included a half-day guided tour of historical and musical Vienna including the Ringstráße, Imperial Palace, State Opera, Town Hall, Burgkapelle (home of the Vienna Boys Choir), Palace Stables, and Strauß Monument. Students also toured the Haus der Musik (House of Music),a modern interactive sound museum located in the historic city center. The afternoon was reserved for sightseeing and shopping before arriving at Minoritenkirche for set-up and rehearsal for their performance at Minoritenkirche as part of the American Celebration of Music in Austria.

 

Tuesday morning the group arrived in Melk to visit the world-famous Abbey. The Abbey of Melk, which crowns a rocky bluff overlooking the Danube more than 150 ft. above the river, is the apogee of Baroque architecture in Austria. They visited Mondsee to experience St. Michael’s Church before continuing on to Salzburg.

 

In Salzburg they enjoyed a guided tour including Mirabell Palace and Gardens, Mozart Square, the Dom (cathedral), University Church, as well as Mozart’s Birthplace and a cable car ride up to the Fortress for an unparalleled view of the city below. After a short excursion to St. Gilgen, they arrived at Mozarthaus for set-up and rehearsal for their performance as part of the American Celebration of Music in Austria.

 

The next morning the group toured the Salt Mines in Hallein. The tour entailed a walk through underground galleries, with a presentation in a cave showing the different techniques used in the extraction of salt and the descent on toboggans. They continued to Munich for a guided tour of Munich’s highlights including Marienplatz (with its famous Glockenspiel), Frauenkirche, Hofbräuhaus, English Gardens, Nymphenburg Palace, and the Dachau concentration camp, the first of the Nazi concentration camps, a moving experience for the students.

 

Students performed in a mass in Wieskirche and post mass performance before continuing on Hohenschwangau to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, made famous by the Walt Disney model in Anaheim, and then departing for home.

 

“This trip,” proclaimed one student, “is almost impossible to describe.” Whether you have a love for travel, a love for culture, a love for music, or a combination of all, this trip checked many boxes.

 

“I gained a lot of insight into the musical history of Germany and Austria and learning about some of my favorite composers (whose music I play all the time) was very enriching and felt personal,” said Ritika. Carlee agreed, “I learned a lot about the history of all of the places that we went to and I feel that I better understand the German and Austrian culture now. This experience was special for me, not just because I am a senior and I was able to go with some of my best friends, but because I was able to do the thing that I love— sing— in all of the amazing locations!”

 

Senior Kevin Connaughton echoes the girls’ sentiments saying, “The choir is really close-knit, like a family, and discovering new things about yourself and the world with your family at your side is really special. The music part of it was really powerful too. Seeing our music affect people so much that they cry, when they don't even speak my language, I don't know, just really reminded me that music is a universal language. Personally, I got some special memories and a wonderful, profound experience. I got to explore new places, finding little alleyways with hole-in-the-wall cafés and rose gardens. And, I got to sing to brighten total strangers' days. A real win-win, if I do say so myself.”