Walking through the Vienna City Center was a wonderful reminder of how many musicians started their careers here. Some student groups had a chance to tour the Vienna Opera House and peek behind the curtain to see how the company puts on masterworks every evening. Others enjoyed the challenge of climbing to the top of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and look around the bustling city. Jennifer Gallao (pre-nursing and honors program student) gives her reflection below:

“The European tour has been an incredible experience that I am grateful to have been a part of. Traveling through Europe I had expectations of how the culture and areas would be, and these expectations have been met and exceeded, broadening my perspective. We visited several famous cities, two being Vienna and Venice. Both cities contained gorgeous architecture, which always amazed me because it is hard to imagine that they were able to construct architectural feats without today’s technology. In Vienna, Austria we were immersed with the history of famous musicians and composers, such as Mozart, who lived in the city and walking past the buildings they resided in was surreal. We ended our tour of Vienna at the Schönbrunn Palace, a beautiful castle whose massive garden was impressive.  This tour has been a wonderful way to experience the history of and culture of a part Europe while performing great music, and I encourage anyone who has an opportunity like this to take it.”