Choral Workshop in St. Pölten, Austria
Spring 2016
ation Abroad —
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Program Overview
The Austrian choral music workshop Laudate Dominum has been held each year
for more than 20 years in the first week of February. The 2016 dates are from
Sunday, January 31 – Saturday, February 6, 2016. The workshop is presented by
the University for Music and the Performing Arts of Vienna and several other
organizations including the Archdiocese of Vienna, the Diocese of St. Pölten. It
takes place at the Bildungshaus St. Hippolyt in St. Pölten, a small town about 30
minutes from Vienna.
The workshop is populated mainly by professionals in the field of church music
and choral music from Austria and around Europe. There are also a couple of
groups of students, one from Vienna’s University for Music and the Performing
Arts and another from University of North Carolina Wilmington.
As the Vienna University is a major music conservatory in what is a major center
of classical music, one of the most significant benefits of participation has been
the forming of friendships with these fellow students. In addition to Austrians,
the students in question comes from all over Europe and beyond, providing for
the participants a real sense of belonging to the world’s musical community.
UNC Wilmington choral students have access to this study abroad experience
each year, and there are some points for you to keep in mind if you are interested
to participate:
•The total cost is in the range of $2,000 (in 2016) including airfare, housing,
meals, registration fees, etc.
•The trip involves being out of UNCW classes for a week, and you must share
in the responsibility to mitigate any problems that might result from your being
absent from Wilmington classes that week.
•It is a class, MUS 394 for one credit, and the stipulation of your participation is
that you represent the UNCW Choral Program in a positive way.
•You will have the opportunity to participate with singers, players, and
conductors from all over Austria and Europe. Although you will work extremely
hard, the work is inspiring and the experience overwhelmingly positive if you
prepare and participate well.
•It is very cold in Austria at that time of year, and you must protect your health
(and that of others) by following directions and taking care of yourself up to and
during this week.
Principal Workshop Presenters
Erwin Ortner is music director of the Grammy
Award winning Arnold Schoenberg Chor of Vienna,
Hofkapellmeister of the Imperial Palace of Vienna,
and Professor of Music at University for Music and the
Performing Arts of Vienna. He regularly conducts major
choral and orchestral performances throughout the
world and was recently the leader of a workshop at Yale
University.
Josef Habringer is musical director of the Linz Cathedral
and teaches at the diocesan conservatory in Linz. In
addition, Habringer is a frequent guest at academies for
church music and liturgy throughout Austria.
Wolfgang Reisinger is organist and a member of the
faculty of the Conservatory and at the University for
Music and the Performing Arts of Vienna. He also serves
as administrative director of Laudate Dominum each
year.
Ksenia Mavleeva is a graduate of Rimsky-Korsakoff
Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia and graduate
student at University for Music and the Performing Arts
of Vienna. She serves as choral rehearsal assistant and
pianist.
Ursula Langmayr is soloist with Salzburg Festspielen,
Styriarte, and Bregenzer Festspielen and has worked with
a number of well-known conductors. In a review of her
2012 debut recital in New York, the NY Times described
her performance as “disarmingly expressive.”
Gererosa Gruber-Sehr is a voice coach at Theater an der
Wien, member of Arnold Schoenberg Chor, and soloist in
Concerts and Opera projects.
Thomas Künne is a guest leader in national and
international choir festivals and is the Voice Coach for
the Vienna Singverein as well as a soloist in a range of
early music groups
Gerd Kenda is member of the faculty at University of
Graz and director of the Pro Musica and Chorakademie
Kämten as well as soloist in oratorios and contemporary
opera.
Learn more at www.uncw.edu/international
Open up yo
ur w
orld
Schedule and Itinerary
- Go
Abroad!
We depart the U.S. Friday, January 29 and the conference begins on Sunday, January 31.
Saturday, January 30 is a day of jet-lag recovery and sight-seeing in Vienna. We return to
Wilmington Sunday, February 7 and you should expect to be back in class on Monday,
February 8. As a registered student in the Choral Workshop in Austria course, you are
expected to participate in all workshop sessions.
The title of the workshop is Laudate Dominum (Latin for “Praise the Lord”) and it is
a conference involving sacred music presented in the context of sacred liturgies. The
major performance at the end of the week is typically a Viennese symphonic mass
presented in the context of a mass at the St. Pölten cathedral. You are welcome to, but
not required to, participate fully in the religious services. However, you are expected
to sing in these events and to respect that others who are there are full participants in
a Roman Catholic mass. In the words of a student reflection from a few years back, “I
was prepared for the religious services, but not for how powerful this great music in the
context of these liturgies” (for which they were created by the great composers). It is a
powerful experience, but because of the great music.
All but a few events will be held at the conference center in St. Pölten, a facility designed
for just such events as this and a building with housing, a fine food service, and rehearsal
rooms that support this activity very well. The center is barrier-free for participants with
disabilities, and they are fully equipped with WIFI, a house computer, and a helpful staff.
On Friday, the dress rehearsal and performance of the major work takes place at the St.
Pölten cathedral, a five minute walk from the center.
Language Barrier?
Most of the participants (not all) speak English, but rehearsals are held in German.
Fortunately, technical musical language is nearly the same in English and German, but
we are encouraged to sit near a bi-lingual Austrian participant who can make sure you
will be able to follow everything, including the good jokes!
Typical Day
7:30 “Morgenlob” (some informal singing and explanation by one of the leaders of a
section of the music we are studying)
8:00 Breakfast
8:30 Vocal warm-up sessions (delivered by the soloists/section leaders)
9:00 Large chorus rehearsal
10:30 Break
11:00 Seminar A (several options are available for chamber choirs, Gregorian chant,
etc.)
12:30 Lunch and some free time
2:30 Seminar B (several options available)
3:30 Break
3:45 Seminar C (several options available)
5:00 Seminar A
6:00 Supper
7:15 Large Chorus rehearsal
8:30 Evening performance/activity
Private voice and/or organ instruction is arranged by appointment with the instructors
and individuals leave group rehearsals or seminars to attend these appointments.
Seminars include chamber choirs as well as seminars on cantoring, Gregorian Chant,
conducting, and service playing for organists.
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Food Service
Meals are served in a dining room, typically “family
style” (although there is a buffet for salad, dessert,
and sandwiches, as well as for breakfast). For lunch
and dinner each day, there is a choice of either
vegetarian or meat dish and the food they serve is
organic.
Weather
In the first week of February there is often snow and
generally very cold weather, so individuals must pack
clothing for protection against severe weather. It is
typical that the singers in the performance at the
cathedral are dressed in winter coat, gloves, scarf,
and ear muffs!
Health Concerns
While the health care system in Vienna is modern
and completely accessible, it is important for
visitors from America to take steps to avoid typical
wintertime sickness, especially the flu. You should
consider having a flu shot and you should certainly
practice good hygiene while there and stay well
rested in order to be able to sing 8 or more hours per
day and stay healthy.
Application Deadline: November 15, 2016
•
•
To apply log in at: https://itsappserv02.uncw.
edu/intprogapp/ and select your program of
choice.
A $500 non-refundable deposit is due at time of
application
Eligibility
Students are eligible to apply for this program if they
meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Degree-seeking student
• Good judicial standing
• 2.5 GPA at time of application
• First year and early college students may apply
after interview with program leader
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Federal and state financial aid may be applied toward
this program. Even if you are normally ineligible
for financial aid, you should submit a financial aid
application (FAFSA). You may find that you are eligible
for additional funding.
UNCW students may also apply for a UNCW
Summer Education Abroad Grant and additional
study abroad scholarships.
Grant applications
and additional information are available at
www.uncw.edu/international/abroad/aid.html.
ad •
Wilm
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C 284
03-59
6 5 • 910.962.3685 • studyabroad@unc
w.edu