I am a music performance major. Music is everything to me. My goal is to become the best harpist I can be, as well as a wonderful music teacher, so that I can bring the gift of music into the lives of everyone I meet. Music brings me joy and I want to share that with others through my performing on the harp. Studying harp with Anneleen Lenaerts is a very unique opportunity for me at this point in my study of the harp. She is very accomplished and well recognized in the harp world, and studying with her will help me to improve my technique, skill, and musicality in performing. She is not only a performer, but a teacher, which is what I aspire to one day be. She will be an example to me of how to work hard for our goals in music, and never give up.

Likewise, studying classical music history in Vienna will be beneficial for my major in music performance because it will expand my knowledge of classical music and classical music composers. Vienna has always been a large center for classical music throughout history. It is where much of the well known and lesser known music was composed, and many composers spent much of their lives there. By studying this music in Vienna, I will gain a deeper understanding of where the music came from and how music changed throughout history.

Vienna also has many famous musical groups that will be performing while I am there. These include the Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Boy’s Choir, and the Vienna Opera. 

There are also many other smaller groups in Vienna. As I attend the performances of these groups, I will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the music and composers I have studied in textbooks. This knowledge will be gained not only by listening to the music, but also because of the venues in which they will be performing. Vienna has many older churches, where the music of famous composers was originally performed. Hearing classical music in the spaces it was written to be performed in will greatly enhance my knowledge of the true sound of classical music. Only in Vienna can performances for these talented groups be heard on a regular basis, in the old churches, and create a truly breathtaking performance.

I seek to truly know the music that I already love performing, and through studying music in Vienna with other musicians, I will be able to do just that. No other place in the world has as much music incorporated into its history, and no other place in the world appreciates and performs that music quite like they do in Vienna.