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MAY 15, 2004 - HALLSTATT

By Matthew Podobinski - tenor, first-year student

Today began bright and early, thanks to the wake-up call at 6:15 a.m., which may sound bad, but given the fact that bedtime last night came at 9:30 p.m., we were ok.

I joined the rest of the choir for breakfast in the hotel dining room. I was starving and the sight of croissants, jams, breads, eggs, etc. had never looked so good. And of course, breakfast would not have been complete without a spill of jam on the nice pants (way to go, Matt!) So after some quick washing and judicious use of the hair dryer, I rejoined the choir downstairs in the bar (yes, the bar!) for an early morning warm-up.

Upon finishing, we made our way to the cathedral of Salzburg where we rehearsed the pieces we'll sing at a Sunday service. The walk to the cathedral was enjoyable in itself. The quaint atmosphere that is accented by the architecture and bright-colored building walls was simply charming and helped to lift my spirits on such a cold morning.

The cathedral was glorious. The amount of detail on all the walls, the huge pillars and the paintings depicting religious figures and scene, as well as the enormous space which was soon to be filled with the sound of our voices were remarkable.

After a bit of time and remembering what it is like to sing like a choir we found our groove and the reason for coming to Europe became very clear. We realized how fortunate we were to be able to sing in such beautiful and historical places. (Mozart was baptized here and made music in this cathedral.

After our rehearsal we met our tour guide, Lieselotte, who showed us around the city of Salzburg and Hohensalzburg, the fortress above the town. The whole tour was so much fun, with much credit going to Lieselotte, who msade all the historical information of the town interesting. For the first time, I felt connected to Salzburg and had a better appreciation for its history and the culture into which I was now submerged.

The fortress tour was simply incredible, mostly because of the breath-taking panoramic views I could capture in my mind and camera too, of course. From atop the fortress, I could look out upon the Alps, the grand city buildings below, including the cathedral and buildings filmed in "The Sound of Music," the lush green countryside, the Salzach river, and much more. The tour continued with a visit into the interior, where we meandered through narrow corridors and spiral staircases to enter rooms such as the torture chamber, the bishop's chambers, and the dining hall, where we were able to sing "Shenandoah," which was such a great experience. To know that our voices would resonate in that hall where people had lived and worked for hundreds of years was something that I will never forget.

We left the majestic aura of the fortress behind and made our way down the mountain to the Catholic cemetery, which was also the sight of the escape scene in "The Sound of Music." Walking through the cemetery and seeing the gravestones of so many, I was humbled and so thankful to be alive and well and able to travel to place half-way around the world and to make music with so many people I enjoy. I'm still in awe of that concept but enjoying every minute I have here.

The tour with Lieselotte concluded with a walk through the city past the Salzburg Festival Hall and Opera House, the University, founded in 1623, the open-air market, and Mozart's house, which is painted a bright yellow color.

From this point on, the choir split up and I chose to go with Jacqui to explore the city a little further, to shop, and to order fun food-fresh fruit, bread and cheese. A nice and very light lunch was perfect because both of us just sat around and soaked up the culture, trying to listen without being rude to the conversations all around us.

Around 1:30 we decided to head back to the hotel along the winding cobblestone streets and through the tunnel pass in the mountain that would take us to hotel. At 2:00 we boarded the bus for another destination, Halstatt, a small town in the Salzkammergut.

Bus rides are always an experience and the trip to Halstatt was no exception. Traveling through the Austrian countryside was beautiful-the grandiose mountains that bordered the several small villages and the cool, tranquil lakes that intensified the picturesque scenery were stunning. My attention was brought back inside to the bus and I found myself laughing at the random conversations and noises coming from people on the bus. Choir members called out phrases, quoting song lyrics and lines from TV shows, while others sang snatches of songs, which was greeted by neighboring people who either joined in or booed if the song was just really obnoxious and needed to be stopped. And through all of this, I became very happy and comfortable because I love the nuances of every choir member. I reveled in the fact that I am able to share this European experience with all of them; things just felt perfect.

We arrived in Hallstatt in the late afternoon and once again I was taken aback by the scenery of this little town situated directly below the mountains and right next to a huge lake. Sparing no time, a common theme emerging on this trip, we left the bus and boarded the boat for an hour-long ride on the lake. I situated myself at the end of the boat to make sure that I could get some good pictures of the surrounding landscape and much to my delight many other people shared my idea. Together we just talked and relaxed, making for a most enjoyable boat ride.
Afterward, Steph and I decided to explore the town by walking along the narrow, cobblestone paths. We stopped to eat dinner next to a waterfall that flowed down the mountainside and through the town out into the lake.

After our exploration, we performed our first concert in Europe for the townspeople in a local church. That made us an international choir! The concert went so well and I was pleased to be able to sing for the people of Hallstatt, who were very welcoming and supportive. Also, I was glad to see how the choir could adapt to new surroundings and temperatures (the church was freezing) and yet perform such a wonderful concert. I was personally touched by our performance of "Shenandoah," which made me tear up and be so proud and humbled that I could share what I love to do, making music, with people half-way around the world. I don't know how to put that feeling into words-it was just so incredible and intense. I loved every minute of the performance and hope to experience many more while I am here.

With the concert over, we left the church to go back to the bus and return to Salzburg for the night. By this time, it had begun to rain, which didn't bother me as I have become accustomed to spontaneous and short sprinkles in this part of the country. I only wish now that I would have heeded my parents' advice and brought an umbrella, but what can you do now? So, Mom and Dad, if you're reading this, you were right, okay? I could have used one!

Anyway, I'm finishing this entry on the bus since I will probably either crash for the night at the hotel or go out for awhile and see Salzburg at night with a few friends.

So to close, all I have to say is that today was a great day, full of numerous memories that I will cherish for a lifetime. People say that trip to Europe can change a person, and I must admit I agree with them. Even though only two days have passed, I feel so much older and more mature and just more alive and thankful to be given this opportunity.

Much love to all those back home and I will see you very soon, but know that in the meantime I am going to enjoy and make the most of every day I have here.
Auf wiedersehen!

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