Why Study Abroad as a Music Student?
• Musicians can always benefit from studying in a new environment, with new teachers, and with a new point of view. Studying abroad allows music students to study music in a different setting and with a different teacher than their studio teacher at Lawrence, offering a new point of view.
• Students are exposed to different cultural ideas about music, studying music, and music making. For example, students who take lessons while abroad may find themselves in a new learning environment, such as a different conservatory culture, public-style lessons, or learning entirely by ear. For students in language immersion programs, they can study their instrument in a different language, bringing a new level of comprehension and a brand new vocabulary to their second or third languages.
• Students can work with teachers that specialize in a particular area not offered at Lawrence. For some students, this means learning a new style or technique, but for others, this means learning entirely new instruments traditional to their host countries.
• One benefit of off-campus study is the possibility for experiential learning, which can be especially valuable for music students. Students can study Verdi in Milan, Mahler in Vienna, and Celtic fiddling in the British Isles. Students can immerse themselves in the local music performance scene, either as performers or audience members, gaining valuable insight about what it means to perform in different countries and cultures.
• Music students benefit from all of the other aspects of study abroad, too, such as an expanded worldview, opportunities to take classes not available on the Lawrence campus, or the chance to develop foreign language skills.