N.S./Vienna Winter Music Seminar

S.N.
My name is S.N. from Tokyo. From the age of 4 he attended the music school affiliated with Toho Gakuen University and began playing the violin.
Graduated from Tokyo College of Music's affiliated high school in 2022. This brings us to the present.

S.N.
This was my first time attending a seminar with AndVision, but I have attended other seminars hosted by different people. I've only been abroad for travel, so this was my first time studying abroad.

S.N.
My mother has subscribed to AndVision's e-mail newsletter since I was in school, and she told me about a seminar like this around this time of year, so I decided to go and listen to his junior's concert. It was a time when I had the opportunity to immerse myself in music, so I decided to take part and applied immediately.

S.N.
Yes, I think there were about 16 people in total.
I had the impression that there were many piano players, but there were also two other vocalists and three violinists, including myself.
The high school students were accompanied by their families, and there were also working adults and adults who were older than me.

S.N.
The schedule was to go sightseeing around the city the day after I arrived, and then take lessons and use the practice room almost every day except New Year's Day.

S.N.
There was a man named Gerard Schubert Sensei, a member of the Vienna Philharmonic, who was a very kind and warm Sensei.

S.N.
There was one local support person, but he wasn't there for my lesson, but I think he was also an interpreter for other lessons. There were two other interpreters, and one also provided accompaniment.

S.N.
I didn't find it particularly frustrating because it was slow to understand the language, or because there was only one cushion per lesson, so I took the lessons as usual, just like I would take lessons in Tokyo. I think I received it.

S.N.
I thought it was very kind and warm that they never said anything negative about what I had learned or practiced in Japan, and of course there were technical matters as well. As you said, the thing that made me the most happy was that on the last day, he brought an etude book, which is also used by Sensei's students, and gave me the data, which made me very happy. I've never had such detailed advice given in a seminar like this, so it was very helpful for me to be able to learn the basics.

S.N.
The lesson was in German, and the interpreter spoke to me in Japanese, but when I wanted to express my feelings of gratitude, I spoke in English.

S.N.
There are class concerts and graduation concerts, and the graduation concert was attended by local people and people who were deeply interested in music.I was quite surprised that so many people would come. did.

S.N.
I think there were about 10 people. Although it was held as a city concert, not a concert by a Japanese person who won some kind of award, the people who came to listen to it showed that this kind of concert is a fairly major part of everyday life. I was surprised to see that it was one.

S.N.
AndVision made all the arrangements, and I was able to use it for about 1 hours a day.
The room I used had an upright piano, had good heating, and was spacious enough to play the violin. When I heard stories from other participants, I thought it would be a lot of fun to be able to use different practice rooms, such as pianos of different colors and of course different sounds.

S.N.
I went to famous sightseeing spots, bought tickets to various concerts every night, and spent my time going to hear them and meeting friends who were already studying abroad there.

S.N.
Well, since it was New Year's Day, I think there were a lot of tourists.
I was really wary of pickpockets, but I didn't encounter any danger, and the staff at the store spoke English, so I didn't have any problems.

S.N.
I stayed at a hotel called Danube Walzer arranged by AndVision. I think most of the participants stayed at the hotel there. Of course, the room had proper heating and was warm, and above all, I thought it was nice that the classical radio was always playing, which made me happy.Of course, there was no hot water. I didn't have any trouble, and the people at the front desk were very kind.They even left my room key with me when I went out.I think everyone was as kind as you would normally find in a so-called luxury hotel in Japan.

S.N.
People traveled by train, tram, streetcar, or even on foot if it was within walking distance.

S.N.
For breakfast, there was a buffet at the hotel, so I took advantage of that. I had waffles that I made myself and it was very delicious. For lunch and dinner, we ate at regular restaurants such as fast food in town. I had the impression that the flavors were quite strong, but there were some that I could eat if I chose all of them.

S.N.
I think lunch in Japan would have cost around 1000 yen, but I think it cost around 3000 yen.

S.N.
No, nothing in particular. If I had to say, there were times when I didn't quite understand the electronic bulletin boards for things like trams, but I don't think it was a particular problem. I'm glad.

S.N.
I agree. When I gave lessons in Japan, I was talking about when I was in school, but I think there were quite a lot of times when I received guidance from sensei for exams or something. I went there as someone who doesn't belong to any particular organization, and of course I absorbed a lot. I think there were many times when I felt like I wanted to try this or that, and I moved forward in a positive manner.

S.N.
Well, my way of thinking has changed. I used to think that studying abroad was quite a hurdle, but once I tried participating with an instrument like this, I started to think that it was a much more familiar experience than I expected. Ta. Of course, I think preparation is necessary, and I think there are some difficult things to do, such as practicing, but I think I'll think about studying abroad in the future a little more concretely, thinking that I don't have to worry too much about it, and that there's nothing I can do but gain. That's what I came up with.

S.N.
The point is that music is everywhere. I'm sure there are a lot of classical music concerts in Japan, but since it's the capital of music, there are so many concerts, from small churches to large concert halls, that it feels like not a day goes by without a music concert being held. I thought it was great that we were doing a classical concert and that it was there so that people could clearly understand it. In Japan, you wouldn't know unless you looked it up, but you can see it everywhere, and I think it's a city that is irresistible for classical music lovers.

S.N.
I was more worried about the lifestyle than the lessons, but I think there are some people who can't speak English or who aren't good at German, but the locals... I think they take it for granted that they can't talk about it. When the Asian face comes. That's why I don't think there's anything embarrassing about not being shy and trying to talk about things you don't understand, and I don't think the situation you're in will change if you don't say it yourself, so try everything yourself. I think that's important, and if there's something you can go to like a lesson, a concert, or a public lesson, it's really important to just try to participate and go to new places. I think.

S.N.
I don't think it was particularly inconvenient not to have it, but since I play the violin, I didn't think I needed a big bag. It gets in the way, and music scores go in the case of the instrument, so I think it would be better to have something that would reduce the amount of luggage you carry around.

S.N.
It's a little difficult to jump right into a long-term study abroad program at this point, but it's true that this study abroad experience has made me want to move forward in a more concrete way, so if such an opportunity arises, I would definitely contact AndVision. I would appreciate your cooperation. If you want to study abroad, I think it would be better to go to different countries for a short period of time, think carefully about what kind of music you want to pursue, and then take action.