Culture and Accessibility of Classical Music

I attended two concerts in Vienna: an opera at the Wiener Staatsoper and a classical performance at the Musicverein. The state opera main hall is shown above. I learned later that the orchestra that plays there is actually the Vienna Philharmonic, but from the first note I was blown away with how beautifully they played. I found myself surprised that I actually loved the sound of their string instruments because I usually don't enjoy the scratching of the bow across the strings. The music of the orchestra however was so buttery and smooth that I did not pay much attention to the story line. I was completely lost in the music.  The audience was mostly older white folks, but with younger people taking the standing tickets. A standing ticket was anywhere from 3-1.6 euros. For that price you get to hear the Vienna Philharmonic and watch an opera at the Vienna state opera house. Which is pretty amazing.  I honestly think the people with standing tickets had a better view th...

My next interviewee was Suna Orcun, a director of Superar. Superar is an organization inspired by El Sistema which gives kids the opportunity to learn to play an instrument. I don't mean paying for private lessons or learning how to play a scale, but free lessons on loaned instruments the children can take home and practice on. More about our interview later. I had the opportunity to sit in on one of the practices at Superar, and the kids seemed to love to play and enjoy being there. One girl in particular, I didn't catch her name, was pretty good at the violin for starting a year and a half ago. But what caught my eye is when she would close her eyes and listen to her violin. She seemed like she was listening to the voice of a dear friend whom she had not seen for a long time. Superar has given her the opportunity to find her love of music, and I hope she keeps it with her for the rest of her life.

Strolling around the beautiful streets of Vienna, I came a cross the Augustinkirche. It houses two beautiful organs, one of which is pictured above. The balcony in front of the organ may be where the orchestra and choir stand while they perform. Signs in front of the staircase leading to the balcony said "Aufgang nur für chor und orchester," which roughly translates to entrance only for choir and orchestra. This special entrance to the beautiful balcony above the congregation leads me to believe that the choir and orchestra hold a special place within the church and maybe the society. Although, such conclusions shouldn't be made based on one church. It is amazing what you can find when you turn off Google maps and let your feet and your heart guide you. I wonder what other surprises Vienna holds for me to discover tomorrow.

Alexander Medem, a freelance musician and Assistant Director in Opera, accompanied me to the Stadtpark where I interviewed him about the culture of classical and opera music in Vienna. The weather was lovely, the scenery beautiful and the conversation insightful. I learned a lot, but I'll be able to elaborate on the specifics once my journey brings me back to the states.

And so the journey begins. Off to a great start with an overnight flight taking me to LHR. Now to find the Harry Potter store and watch the Royal Wedding!