By Xiangyue Lin ‘27
- Free time
I originally went to Schubert's birthplace in the morning, but because it was closed, I took the streetcar and underground to Karlsplatz.
At first, I visited the famous Musikverein from the outside: it was a gorgeous light-red building with glamorous figures and ornaments.
I walked along the street and entered a park. Here, I met Anders, Hongtao, Claire, Sofia, and Erin. They took me into the butterfly house. Inside the house, large butterflies were everywhere: some were flipping their glittering wings, some were savoring food on the plates, and some were staying on a flower. Nature's beauty also had a place to thrive in Vienna.
Afterward, I had my lunch and went into St. Stephen's Cathedral to explore what this immense and elaborate building looks like. The sunlight passing through the stained glass windows left shades of blue and purple; the organ played intermittently; the candles burned silently.
- TU Wien! TU Wien!
At 3:20 PM, we all put on concert blacks and headed for TU Wien.
When we arrived, we rehearsed for a while. After a short free time, we gathered at the staircase to form a circle. Because this was our last concert during the tour and also the last tour for the graduating students, Prof. Lerangis let those students stand out and told us how they served as our role models with their commitment and love. Then, Prof. Lerangis said: "Arts should be shared, and we were sharing our art throughout the tour." Their saying made me very proud as a Chorus member because I was one of the people sharing music in different corners of the world.
The concert began. It was called "Pop Meets Classic." We performed choral pieces from the Renaissance to modern times composed by musicians from various countries. Before we sang the final song, Prof. Lerangis also expressed gratitude to the three tour managers who organized anything, no matter how big or small. After that, our final performance ended with the delightful and powerful gospel "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands."
Following our performance was the TU Wien Choir. At first, they formed a large circle around the venue, letting their voices resonate around and encompassing us; then, they performed a wide range of popular pieces with incredible creativity, such as using cellphones to create light effects and a variety of choreography. Alex, the conductor, swayed with the melody, seeming like an inseparable part of the harmony. We danced and clapped together with them. After each piece's end, we shouted "TU Wien! TU Wien!" because of our excitement about their performances. We cannot believe that such a young choir with 11 years of history had so much energy and musicality, just like the bright and bold clashes of black and blue they wore on the stage.
As a student studying conducting, I talked with Alex after the concert. The fact that he was not a professionally trained conductor startled me: He works both as a computer science lecturer and a choral conductor! However, even though I am taking conducting classes as a music major, I still need to learn a lot from him: how he managed his life, maintained his musical engagement, and interacted with the members effectively.
The mixer was in a large room. TU Wien students sang a song they arranged, and then the Glee Club sang "Ride the Chariot;" after TU Wien's second song, Chorus members formed a circle and did "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." Then, TU Wien performed a pop song medley, and we all sang along with them. Everyone was chatting, singing, and dancing, making the night unforgettable: even though we were from different countries, our love of music and willingness to share our art brought us together.