I n the summer of 2013, Director of Choral Activities Dr. Cliff Ganus took 17 music majors across the Atlantic Ocean to study the history of some of the great musicians. The experience counted for 12 hours of credit and a lifetime of memories. During the Mostly Music trip, a two-month program hosted by the Music Department for the first time in the summer of 2013, students visited the Maggio Musicale Festival in Europe, explored historical places involving music and attended several musical performances. The program consisted of visiting historic musical locations in Milan, Venice, Lucca and Rome. The students were consistently impressed by the way their education came to life before their eyes. "My favorite place was touring Mozart's house in Salzburg," junior music major Ashlee Riddle said. " His childhood violin was displayed there, and it is one of the top five greatest moments in my life." Ganus picked each location for its rich musical past. He wanted the locations to be interesting and valuable. The group often learned about a composer or musically significant site and visited that location the following day. According to junior music education major Emily Eads, learning in a tangible way helped preserve the places they visited and the things they learned. "I think I learned much more overseas about music history than I ever could have taking the classes here," Eads said. "This type of learning made all the difference for me. What I learned will stick with me much longer than it would if I had simply read it from a textbook." The students were able to attend several performances while in Europe, which enhanced their learning. While visiting locations and learning about composers provided the backdrop for the class, the musical performances were the lifeblood, the real passion of the students in the group. "Within the first week, we went to hear Verdi's Requiem, which the Chorus is actually performing this coming spring," Eads said. "I was blown away by the talent of the musicians and had chill bumps the whole time." While Harding's musical groups often toured Europe to perform, the Mostly Music group appreciated the chance to be in the audience instead. The students were able to focus on their studies and develop closer relationships inside their department. With such a small group from the Music Department, the trip was a unique chance to deepen relationships. "All of us were music majors, so we've seen each other in music classes, ensembles and forums," Riddle said. "Since we're not a terribly large group, it's easier to get to know others in the department." Being overseas for a substantial amount of time turned acquaintances into friends. The Mostly Music students were together for eight weeks and became more than just classmates. "Being forced to be in the same place as a dozen and [a] half other people for two months can create a lot of bonding time," senior music major Jordan Simpson said. Riddle said that spending two months together studying something they were all passionate about created a family-like atmosphere within the group. Shane Schock "I learned much more overseas about music history than I ever could have taking classes here." Junior Emily Eads
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