The IES Abroad Vienna Center celebrated the opening of its new Music Practice Facility with a ceremony for students in the Vienna Music Program on September 1, 2014. The 1,800-square-foot facility will increase the quality and number of practice rooms for students in the Music Program by 28%, while also reducing the scheduling pressure and competition for classrooms at Palais Corbelli as IES Abroad Vienna expands its course offerings.
The ceremony included a wonderful performance by IES Abroad Vienna faculty members, musician Miguel Kertsman, and flutist Ulrike Anton, followed by remarks from Vienna Center Director Morten Solvik, who spoke in detail about the state-of-the-art Music Practice Facility and the benefits for students, listed below:
- Seven state-of-the-art practice spaces: four small rooms for individuals, two medium-sized rooms for small ensembles, one room for large ensembles, plus a break room and rest rooms
- New spaces and long opening times, adding 7,840 practice hours available each semester, a 40% increase over current program capacity
- Technological enhancements, including adjustable acoustics and climate control in every room
- Additional secure storage lockers for instruments of varying sizes
- Two practice rooms that can also be used as classroom and performance spaces
- Student housing upstairs in the same building, meaning close proximity for music students to practice rooms (additional music facilities also available nearby)
- Opportunities for students to congregate and experience impromptu music sessions
- Top electronic security measures
- Handicap-accessible space
Following the remarks, alumnus Richard Ryan (Spring '63) delighted everyone by playing "Wien, Wien, nur du allein" on the practice piano that he and his fellow classmates provided through a class gift following their 50th Anniversary Class Reunion in Vienna last year.
The opening of this facility allows IES Abroad to continue providing a world-class study abroad music program for U.S. collegiate instrumentalists and vocalists now and in the years to come.
