I’m thrilled to be joining the Music in Europe Abroad as its resident counselor. My current home is Boston, Massachusetts, where I’ve been settled for over 11 years. Music has been a part of my life from an early age, and I studied music at Principia College with a focus on vocal performance. In addition to singing, I also play the piano, ukulele, clarinet, and keyboard instruments of all sizes – from the chimes in a Boston bell tower, all the way down to a toy xylophone I sometimes use to play hymns at church!
I love the ability of music to communicate in ways that words alone can’t do. I’m thrilled that the students on this abroad, particularly those for whom the study of music is new, are getting to learn about music history and hone their music listening skills in such an experiential way. I’m especially excited for our group to close out the calendar year by hearing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony together on New Year’s Eve. And it’ll be amazing to see live opera in a European opera house, a first for me.
In addition to the music on the trip, I can’t wait to witness the ways citizens walk through everyday life in Vienna, Prague and Paris. I’m looking forward to experiencing the little things: how people ride the metro and buses, what sort of snacks are popular, what the weather is like. I’m also looking forward to the beautiful, centuries-old architecture. And I can’t wait to see the mountains in Austria!