UHP Austrian Music Study Tour Description: The Austrian Empire (1804–1918) encompassed a large swath of central Europe and counted Béla Bartók, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Antonín Dvořák, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, and dozens of other world-class musicians among its citizens. This course examines how the compositions, writings, and other activities of these musicians responded to—but also occasionally helped to shape—the Empire’s complex artistic, social, and political climates. A week-long study tour of Vienna and Budapest will provide an opportunity to experience how the Empire’s cultural legacy continues to the present day. Focus on primary sources, local institutions, and performances; knowledge of foreign language or music notation not necessary."

Personal Experience of the Course: It was phenomenal and I am beyond happy to have taken the course. We had learned about many of the composers such as Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Gustav Mahler, Béla Bartók , and much more. It was extremely enriching to see how the professors went about teaching the course and their ways of teaching. I was grateful to them because I had gained new knowledge about the many composers we learned about and how to evaluate music in a new way. The course went about us receiving a prep the day before we had class. It consisted of questions, information we had to find, readings, etc. It allowed us to be prepared for the class discussion the following day and be able to contribute to class discussion. Their way of teaching was very useful because I felt as if everyone was on equal footing with the materials for class and we all had the ability to speak if we wanted. Not to mention the professors would also talk us through the prompts, and even sometimes guide us if we needed it. Overall, I especially enjoyed this honors study tour.