IES Abroad Vienna

Vienna was voted "the best city to live" for years. This actually gives a lot of insight into the city. Not only is Vienna a great city to visit for the beautiful architecture, palaces, and old-school entertainment, it is a place where I have learned to adjust to enjoy everyday life.
Through IES, I have made great connections through the staff and the opportunity to live in Vienna. IES provides programs to meet native Austrians, learn how to cook native food, and many more to truly experience the culture.
The classes are challenging, but not overwhelming. The professors want the students to learn, but they know that study is abroad for the experience of culture, so they are very understanding.
I was very impressed with the program and I would definitely recommend it.

As a Clarinet Performance major, studying music in Vienna was a no-brainer. With such a rich history of the arts, specifically classical music, Vienna is a great place for musicians to come and hone their craft. Not only was the atmosphere of Austria great, but the IES Vienna Program also excelled at making my study abroad experience a rewarding and comfortable one.
The living situation, in my case the music apartment building, was very comfortable and close to the center of the city, which made it easy to get to the IES center in the first district. Each apartment has three bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining area, and a split bathroom, with a shared laundry room on the ground floor. The apartments have their own set of practice rooms, which makes practicing very convenient for musicians. If they are full, there are also additional practice rooms at the center.
The staff was all very helpful, with the teachers holding courses that were full of valuable information that were taught very well. Private teachers a chosen on a student-by-student basis, in order to ensure the best fit for the skill level and musical interests of each students. Price is also a priority for these teachers; most of the time your won't be paying over 70 euro a lesson. 100 euros is usually the top end of the pricing. I never heard any complaints about private teachers that didn't fit, but if your teacher isn't the right fit for you, students are always able to switch teachers mid-semester.
The music workshop and coachings promote a very motivating and uplifting atmosphere that pushes students to hone their craft in a collaborative and professional matter. With what usually turns out to be a strange instrumentation in the performance workshop, you get to perform pieces that you don't normally get to perform. That was probably my favorite part of the IES music program; getting to perform really interesting music with extremely talented students. I got to perform everything from Romantic music to vocalises to a trio for baritone, clarinet, and piano, and I loved every second of it. With so many talented students, I was always encouraged to perfect my music for not only myself but for the sake of collaboration.
There also just tons of things to do in the city! One of my favorites was going to the TU ball, dressed in formal attire in the famous Hofburg Palace. It was an incredible experience, and I loved seeing the dance culture of Vienna at play. There are always cheap musical performances to see, new coffee shops to visit, and new churches to visit!
With plenty of opportunities for travel, an excellent staff, and a motivational music workshop, I cannot recommend the IES Vienna music program enough. It helped me appreciate the music of Vienna, and really fall in love with all music more. This program is one for people who are passionate about being great musicians and immersing themselves in an historic and wonderfully artistic culture.

IES Vienna is full of dedicated staff and faculty, and I believe that they are at the core of what makes every IES Vienna experience so special. Not only are they there to challenge and teach you in an immersive and exhilarating environment, they care about your well being and enjoyment of the city they call home. Everyone at the IES Vienna center was full of suggestions, tips, and advice about living in Vienna, and often checked in with us to ask how our adventures were going. They were always excited to hear about what we did every weekend, and listened compassionately something went amiss. While I had many wonderful experiences, I must say that if you are trying to find a program, looking for a supportive and welcoming staff should be your top priority, because everyone will craft their own unique study abroad experience, and that is made 100 times easier with a support system like you will find at IES Vienna.

This summer I had the privilege to study Music Performance in Vienna Austria through IES Abroad. Originally I was not excited to study abroad, but my experience in Austria changed my entire opinion of study abroad curriculum and opportunity.
The IES Music Performance program in Vienna is an exquisite program filled with teachers who have a wealth of knowledge on the performance subject. While their criticism was sometimes harsh, it was the commentary I desperately needed to expedite my development as a musician. My voice teacher, my pianist, and my professors, taught me valuable technique and skill that are truly enhanced my abilities. The teachers broke down my way of approaching new music, German text, and performance giving me new tools, to learn music a lot easier. I am extremely thankful for the advice that was given to me and grateful to have worked with these knowledgeable musicians.
I also hoped to enhance my abilities as a German speaker, and singer while in Vienna. Throughout my vocal studies at home, I struggled singing and pronouncing German music, so I made sure to take German while I was in Austria. Not only was the class extremely helpful with my knowledge of the language, but also being in a city such as Vienna made me practice my German. It forced me to become phonetically familiar with German pronunciation, and more profound in my use of German grammar. I came back with a lot more confidence in my German abilities.
What I learned from this program was to appreciate studying a craft in its birthplace, and the knowledge that a city can provide a student. Studying abroad is a unique experience that allows a student to approach a subject from a new perspective. Being in Vienna gave me the perspective I needed to understand my Vocal craft, and technique. Learning in this new city with new teachers also gave me the perspective I needed to improve in different areas of my vocal abilities. I would definitely recommend the IES program to any musician who is looking to find a new approach to Music Performance, and broaden their level of music understanding. But I would also recommend this program to anyone who is looking to experience life and culture in a European city. While some of the main attractions are in the center of the city, all of Vienna has a lot of central European culture, and beauty to experience. It is a city and a study abroad opportunity that should not be overlooked.

I always knew that I wanted to study abroad. As I was sitting in the study abroad center I saw Vienna was an option. I had not heard much about Austria or Vienna but I did not want to go to a place that everyone went to like London or Sydney, Australia. During the summer I learned about a completely different country, I learned a new language, and I made friends from all over the United States!
The best part about being in Vienna was the culture. It is full of new things that I had never seen in the United States. Beethoven and Mozart are from Vienna so I was able to see the houses they lived in! I was able to travel to other countries for less than 100 euros! I hiked in the Alps and saw the most beautiful view I have ever seen. I was able to communicate with people who did not speak English.
I didn't even want to leave when my departure day came. Living in Vienna for 6 weeks was the best thing I have done in my college career and I would do it all over again!

When I first decided to get involved in a study abroad program, I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing. I chose Vienna, Austria solely on the fact that they had a psychology program. I didn’t know anything about the city, country or program. Before I left, I was extremely terrified because I have never been somewhere outside of the country without family or friends before. Once I got there, IES Abroad made it so easy to figure out my living situation, make friends and discover my new home away from home. The professors and staff were always so helpful and insightful. I left not knowing anything about where I was going and now (because of IES abroad) Vienna, Austria is my favorite place on Earth and I have life-long friends across the country!

I had the distinct and singular pleasure of studying abroad this past summer in Vienna. I found this experience to be profoundly thought provoking, and having been a part of the IES Study Abroad program was unquestionably one of the highlights of my academic career so far.

During my time abroad, I participated in a Novice German class, as well a Psychology and Society course that explored numerous topics and focused on the techniques and philosophies of many of the world's leading psychoanalysts. In addition to didactic classroom studies, there were several class excursions which allowed for a richer and very meaningful learning experience. On one such trip my class visited the Freud Museum, devoted entirely to psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and his life and career. Arguably the high-point of my experience abroad was a class trip to Budapest. This trip included a visit to the 'House of Terror', aptly named due to its involvement with the Nazi interrogations of suspected Jewish sympathizers during World War II. My favorite part of this trip was a visit to the Ferenczi Museum, an institution dedicated to Sandor Ferenczi, a contemporary of Freud who shared many of his ideas and techniques before later developing his own system of psychoanalysis. 

IES Study Abroad has given me the opportunity to become a more well-rounded individual and student, and I recommend that every student broaden their horizons with IES Study Abroad!

My experience with the IES Summer Music History and Performance Program was rewarding, life-changing, and fun! In just six weeks, I grew tremendously as a performer and a student. The instructors were wonderful, and with plenty of performing experience, they were able to give us great advice on how to perfect our skills. I also enjoyed taking voice lessons with a woman who had a long career in opera. I was amazed at how much I improved in such a short time. In addition, the city of Vienna is absolutely beautiful, filled with parks, historical buildings, and vineyards on the outskirts of the city. I loved being able to spend afternoons in a cafe or park and evenings at the opera. One of the most memorable moments of the experience was getting to see Verdi’s Rigoletto from the sixth row at the Vienna State Opera. Seeing such a powerful musical performance at one of the premiere music venues in the world was surreal, and just one of many once-in-a-lifetime experiences I had during my time in the City of Music. I would recommend this program to anyone who loves music and wants to see a beautiful area of Europe. It is certainly an unforgettable experience!