Empires: Culture and Politics in Vienna & Prague : Reviews (Dresden)

Getting to experience the history while I was learning it was an invaluable way to learn about the rich classical music traditions in Vienna and Prague. It was truly such a unique and amazing way to learn about the history of classical music, and I gained so much more than just knowledge as well. This program was absolutely incredible and I highly recommend going on it if you have the means and interest.

I greatly appreciated the Art Deco and Baroque architecture present in Vienna, Dresden, and Prague, alongside the cities' profound cultural histories. Among my experiences, witnessing a performance of "The Magic Flute" in Prague stands out as particularly memorable.

My favorite part of this program was being able to immerse myself in the art, music, culture, and history of places I have never been. Vienna, Dresden, and Prague are all places that are incredibly rich in music history, and it was so much fun to take what I have been learning in my music courses and see/apply them both in real life in a very hands-on way and straight from the source! This program also gave me a lot of freedom to explore these places and spend time with the other students on the trip, many of whom I ended up becoming very close friends with.

My favorite part was the abundance of performances we got to see! There were several operas and I am so lucky to say my first opera experiences happened in this part of the world. Especially since we got to see Don Giovanni in the Estates Theater, where Mozart conducted. I like that there was diversity in the performances too, we saw My Fair Lady in German, the Magic Flute twice, orchestra concerts and another opera. It was so cool.

I liked how well informed I felt when I came home. There are things that I never would have guessed I would have learned, and it really set me up to feel more involved in world politics!

It was so rewarding as a music student to be able to understand exactly where the music I am actually learning in my lessons and classes came from, and the historical context surrounding why that music exists in the first place. Seeing professional operas and other productions in these historical, arts-rich cities truly has made me a better musician, student, and citizen because it expanded my perspective so much.

It was rewarding to go to class and learn about what we would do that day, whether it was a tour or a music performance, I found it helpful to go into the experience with background knowledge. It made the experiences even better and I was able to pay attention to certain details I was expecting, but also gave me more time to just listen and absorb the content.

I learned how to navigate a foreign country, and I learned how to be confident in my quest for knowledge! This class helped me feel like I can be curious and ask tons of questions and get meaningful responses from people that are just as passionate about the subject as I am.

Studying abroad is feasible for first-generation students! I am so glad I took the risk and went through with this opportunity.

Perhaps most importantly, I learned how to figure things out myself. This was my first time traveling to Europe, and my first time traveling at all without my family or a very structured group of friends or people I already knew, so this program really taught me a lot of life skills when it comes to traveling. For example, my suitcase was left behind in the Kansas City airport, so I not only learned that I should have packed more clothes in my carry-on backpack, but also how to problem solve, contact airlines, and ask for help (plus how important travel insurance is!). In Europe, I had to learn how to use public transportation, and I had to learn how to get along with other students I barely knew. But everything worked out for the better, and I absolutely came out of the program with more friends and incredible experiences than I went into it with!

I think future students should know that it can be exhausting, but it's totally worth it and if you push through, you won't regret it. There were a few instances I did not feel up to my usual standards, but I pushed through anyway and I am so glad I did. I would've missed some experiences to learn and soak in the environment, but also to connect with others on the trip.