Vienna, Great for Musicians

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the music semester program at IES Abroad Vienna. The IES center itself, a clean, well-maintained (as old as it is), historic, beautiful palace has a central, accessible location that is relatively close to two metro stations. The classes are manageable, allowing study abroad students ample time to explore the city and immerse themselves in all Vienna has to offer, from its many world-class concerts to rich history to unique culture. I loved the easy access to many extremely affordable concerts: 4 euro standing room tickets at the Vienna State Opera, 6 euro tickets to Musikverein concerts… Attending so many high quality concerts exposed me to excellent music-making, a wide range of repertoire, and really helped me grow as a musician.
The faculty are knowledgeable and well-connected in Vienna, giving students access to a wealth of cultural insight. The applied music faculty consists of professors and professional musicians from Viennese conservatories and music schools, and this opportunity to work with local, professional musicians was very, very rewarding—I loved my teachers and learned a lot. IES Abroad Vienna is a bit lenient on attendance, but not so much that it interfered with the quality of classes. The IES staff are very helpful, friendly, and quite organized. IES also offers excellent well-planned, optional excursions for additional fees.
I lived in the Margaretenstraβe apartments, which were very nice and comfortable to live in and made traveling anywhere in the city, and on the continent, very easy, with easy connection to the train station and airport. There are also very nice practice rooms next door to the Margaretenstraβe apartments, making practicing a breeze. In all, I had a wonderful time at IES Abroad Vienna and would highly recommend it to aspiring musicians.