Vienna an incubator of young musical talent

By Anna Wade

VIENNA – Music students here study directly under seasoned musicians, allowing them to get first-hand experience performing.

“There are tour groups that you can audition for,” Paul Neal, director of choral activities at Berry College said after the Berry choir’s trip to Austria. “If they accept you, then they’ll help you get connected to sing in some of these major venues in Vienna.”

Macy Stephens, a senior at Indiana University, is a music student in Vienna with IES Abroad. Stephens studies violin under accomplished professors such as Anna Ronai, a concert pianist, and Dietmar Friesenegger, a music theorist with multiple published dissertations. As a result, Stephens is able to perform in front of established artists.

“We’re surrounded by so many talented musicians and talented ensembles,” she said after a lesson in June. “The inspiration and ideas that they have are very helpful.”

Vienna is home to some of the world’s most prestigious music schools and universities, such as the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW), Music and Arts Private University of Vienna (MUK), and Vienna Music Institute (VMI).

With thousands of music students in Vienna at any one time, the teacher-student relationship is one of the most important parts of helping individual students come into their own.

MDW student Ivan Beaufils, for example, who is from Vienna, credited one-on-one lessons with professors as the key to his growth. Universities in Vienna also provide their students with real-world experience early in their programs.

“I’m already teaching a little on the side,” Beaufils said.

Beaufils teaches music to children and said he hopes to join the faculty of a music schools or direct children’s choirs after he graduates. This is a fitting choice; Beaufils said he got his start in music participating in a children’s choir.

Mozart lived in and composed music from Mozarthaus 1784-1787. Visitors can tour the apartment and stay to hear the Mozart Ensemble perform classical pieces.
Credit: Hisayo Carroll

Vienna’s cultural calendar is filled with music festivals and events. The Mozarthaus Concerts, the Vienna Opera Festival, the Vienna Jazz Festival, and the Summer Night Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic are just a few examples.

During these festivals, students often get an opportunity to perform alongside established artists, participate in workshops, and attend classes to further improve their skills.

From Mexico to Austria

The Vienna Opera Academy, for example, connects students with the music industry. Founder and director Jesús León is an award-winning opera singer who seeks to create opportunities for young musicians to get their start.

“They have to have the opportunity to sing somewhere,” said León, who came to Vienna from Hermosillo, Mexico.

The academy hosts a summer program in which students are given professional training in both one-on-one and ensemble spaces. They get to perform and train alongside established stars, build their resumes, and network for future careers. This opportunity is critical in the highly competitive field of music and opera, León said.

“Some of our singers get some sort of opportunity after,” said León, who has performed opera all over the world as a bel canto tenor.

León stated that he brings in numerous professionals from industry and musicians from many different countries. Students who perform at the Vienna Opera Academy are often able to find jobs in Vienna after their program, while other students go to America or England to start their professional careers, he said. Still others join tour groups, traveling the world as they share their talent in music.

Vienna is dotted with music schools and festivals that celebrate the city’s rich musical heritage while showcasing new musicians talents. This combination of the old and new is what makes Vienna unique. Vienna’s music culture attracts international artists and audiences, creating a vibrant and dynamic scene that benefits both students and the broader community in Vienna.