So Much Adventure!

Let me start by saying: The hair dryer works!!!

QUICK review of what's been happening here:

Saturday, July 14
Today I had the recital audition. I started by singing Apres un Reve by Faure and after the first phrase the song went very well. Unfortunately, I lost my breath at the beginning. Oh well. After that they had me sing Mein glaubiges Herze by Bach. I thought I sang this song very well. It felt right singing an oratorio aria in an oratory! Finally they chose Du bist die Ruh by Schubert. 
I did not win the competition but I had a great experience!
After, when I returned to the Studentinheim (Lehrerhaus), there was a BEAUTIFUL rainbow (der Regenboden)!!! It seemed that the person in control of rainbows thought I did a very good job singing today! ;)

Sunday, July 15
Salzkammergut and the Lake Region
This trip started by an impressive navigational journey through Salzburg to the bus stop which was just past the Mirabell gardens. It was quite exciting when Bene, Mary-Claire (another new friend), and I were able to find our way in Salzburg.
First we stopped in Mondsee where we saw the church where they filmed the wedding scene in the sound of music....

 
After we disrupted the church service that was happening (oopsie), Bene, Dr. Astrup and I visited a cafe for some coffee and a Hazelnut Stollen which looked like a caterpillar and was a little too sweet but mostly delicious. 
After that we caught a boat to "St. Wolfgang Strobl."...or Stroble might be boat... I'm not sure!

However before we boarded the boat we saw this little guy playing with and oom-pa-pa band :)

After traveling on the boat for a half hour we got off and took a long walk to the location for lunch. Along the way, I could not help but think of my Grandma's as I saw all the flower boxes! 

 Die Sonnenblumen :)

 

 Lunch was "so-la-la" (ok). We had cold cuts and cheese. It was delicious, but it was not the most filling meal I've eaten in Austria. 

...and then, of course, I dropped the cheese in my water...

 I should not forget to mention that the wall decorations really helped to boost my appetite!

After this, we went back on the bus and went to the next destination where we saw St. Wolfgang's church. Supposedly, he said he would build a church wherever he threw his ax. However, the location where he threw said ax is two miles away from the church. But it is still and interesting story :)
The last stop on this journey was to Hallstadt. On the edge of the main road of this town is a GORGEOUS lake. The water looks so clear and clean and the mountains that shoot up around it are awe-some. Have a look...

Then we saw a church where there are families buried in a most interesting way:

They use just the skulls to preserve space. So Austrian of them. The designs on the skulls have the name of the family, the years of that person's life, as well as a symbol. The roses represent love, the ivy represents life, laurel is victory, and oak leaves represent glory. 
Next, we walked to a waterfall. It was small and disappointing...

 Which got more beautiful the further I hiked up the mountain.

Plus the view from the upper level of the waterfall (but not the uppermost level: I didn't have time to hike up that far) was spectacular:

The bus ride back involved a very good nap and a conversation about dementors (harry potter reference). Then I got a very good picture of a view I get to see everyday on the hike from the Lehrerhaus to Salzburg College.

Monday, July 16
Today began with another wonderful German lesson. Then it took a more interesting turn. I met up with Kieth Hodgson, a conductor on the American Music Abroad tour that I went on in high school. We went to lunch with all the AMA faculty at the Stiegel Keller. Jean-Claude works with the tour as a tour guide on the bus and a translator and an event planner. He and I had a tri-lingual conversation (french, german, and english). It was very enriching. 
Then I went back to Salzburg College for the first masterclass of the week. Bene sang a beautiful aria called "The Trees on the Mountain" from the opera "Susannah" by Carlisle Floyd. From the masterclass I learned a lot about taking songs apart and building a character in hopes of being more successful expressing the emotions of the song. 


Tuesday, July 17
German class: FANTASTIC as always.
Unfortunately, I had a nicht so gut lesson after a wonderful class. I was so upset that I had to get away from people. To do so I went on a walk alone. I crossed over the river and went down a road I had not been on before. After passing a few dress boutiques, I looked up and there, in front of me, was the Mozarteum. 
The Mozarteum is a conservatory in Salzburg. I took coincidentally finding this place as a sign that today was just a bad day of singing for me and that I should keep singing and pursue it further! It was a very hopeful moment and just what I was searching for on my walk. It acted as a little bit of inspiration. 
Lunch was pizza. Yum. I got cheese and Hawaiian pizza. MMMMM. 
The day ended with a masterclass by Ellen Rissinger. She was brilliant and full of energy. She got great singing out of the singers preforming for her. 


Wednesday, July 18
German class. Enough said.
Next, I had a wonderful coaching.
Lunch was goulasch soup and a strawberry shortcake tasting pastry. SCRUMPTIOUS.
The masterclass clinician today was David Aronson. He had a lot to offer the group as a whole because he works in the Vienna opera house as a coach. 
The last girl who sang in the masterclass was Bethany. She is a recent graduate from the New England Conservatory. Until today, I had not heard more than her speaking voice but in her singing it was apparent that she was just a step further on her path to a singing career than the rest of us. Her voice was so well controlled and had such a warm tone and great resonance. I'd buy her CD and listen to it all the time!



I will post about today, Thursday, July 19th in a separate post because today was THE BEST DAY SO FAR! :)