A Kaleidoscope of Sounds And Friendship Spanning Nearly 30 Years
Written by Amanda Mathis
The sound of music is in the hills of Germany’s Black Forest region, and for 29 years, each Fall brings in classical music performances, filling the streets of Oppenau, Germany, during the Festwoche Klassischer Musik (Festival Week of Classical Music). This small village is nestled among beautiful landscapes and has welcomed talented musicians from across the globe – including Converse University’s Petrie School of Music students.
Friendships happen over music, and for Converse’s music department, it is a deep and growing friendship and a great musical exchange that has lasted nearly 30 years. Since 1997, every three to four years, Converse has offered an opportunity to provide an experience for young, budding classical musicians to hone their skills on an international stage.
Founder/Artistic Director Thomas Strauss led this year’s annual Festwoche Klassischer Musik and is now an integral part of the Central Black Forest’s cultural experiences.
“International experiences like this one open the mind and the heart.”
Dr. Susan Lyle
“Musicians depend a lot on connections and collaborations,” said Converse Associate Professor of Voice Dr. Susan Lyle. “If I had not met Thomas in 1996, none of these experiences would have been possible.”
The Petrie School of Music sent 34 students, professors, and alumni to travel to Germany in September 2024– some for the first time. The students and their hosts learn about each other’s culture and other’s level of playing and then work together to have the highest level rehearsals and performances with Strauss’s Ortenau Bach Choir.
“In Germany, they will live in guest families and not only play music with the Ortenau Bach Choir but also explore the Black Forest and get to know our people and our culture – a valuable form of encounter,” reflected Thomas Stauss. “I am happy, of course, that we can play music together at a high level with a wonderful Bach program.”
This past journey marked the fourth trip for Converse’s Music Program, which brought a “kaleidoscope of sounds” to Oppenau. This endeavor, with five faculty members and 29 students, including three alums, provided our students with a once-in-a-lifetime experience performing an exciting program by the Chamber Singers, a woodwind, and a string ensemble. The faculty selects participating students who have a proven academic track record and show strong interest in the program. Preparation for the excursion takes weeks of advance work, and the group performed a pre-concert in Spartanburg before the tour. All travelers – students and faculty alike – pay for this experience to eat, live, and perform in Germany’s historic churches.
“The Faculty Development fund supports faculty; however, additional costs are paid by the music faculty as we are passionate about developing musicians,” said Dr. Lyle. “International experiences like this one open the mind and the heart.”
Mark your calendar for March 6, 2025, at 7:30 PM, to enjoy a performance in the Daniel Recital Hall with Conductor Thomas Strauss and Michael Klett, a violinist from Germany and the Spartanburg Master Chorale, prepared by Converse’s Director of Choral Activities, Dr. Keith Jones.