Summer Course and Orff Forum

It is now the end of July and I have left my student flat in Salzburg and am starting my two month European/UK holiday by visiting my sister and brother in Berlin. 

My sister and her partner Marcel drove from Berlin to Salzburg to help us pack up our student flat.
THANK YOU! 

One week after the Special Course finished I joined in with a large group of Australians studying the International Summer Course at the Orff Institute. This was nice as it allowed me the chance to share the university where I had been studying with some of my friends from Australia, as well as some of my friends from my course. 

There was a LARGE group of Australians at the International Summer Course this year! 

My OSASA (Orff Schulwerk Association of South Australia) friend Cathy
travelled from Adelaide to do the course 

Me, my friend Trista and my partner Neal.
We all did the Summer Course and had studied at university in Adelaide together. 

My sister Rosanna came from Berlin to study the Summer Course and confused some of my teachers!

It was a full on week but a lot of fun too! For the international evening concert at the course the Australian group rehearsed a performance made up of two songs 'Highway Number One' by Shenanigans and 'Emu Kangaroo' by James Madsen (a music teacher/composer and friend who was at the Summer Course). 

Australian performance at the international evening concert. 

Enjoying local Salzburg beer 'Stiegl' which was followed by traditional Austrian food.

Following the Summer Course I joined some of my Special Course friends to help out for the four days of the International Orff Schulwerk Forum, which was also held at the Orff Institute. This is a meeting of Orff Associations from around the world that happens once a year. We met up with the Australian representatives and got to see some of our course teachers again which was nice. 

Final photo with the Australians from the Special Course: Michele, me, Virginia

Final photo with our course organiser and teacher Andrea.
Virginia, Andrea, me, Michele

Then I walked home from the Orff Institute for the last time, and myself and my fellow students have travelled back to our homes in other countries or on to new places. It was sad saying a final goodbye to my friends from the Special Course, however I know we were all looking forward to a rest and a holiday with our friends and families. 

I have had the best time studying at the Orff Institute with my fellow specials for the last 10 months. Especially my Australian mates Virginia and Michele. It has been fantastic to learn and develop with them all as teachers and as people. 

Many thanks to all our fabulous teachers and the other students for welcoming us to their musical 'house'. Extra thank you to our course organisers Andrea Ostertag and Shirley Salmon who made it all happen.

If you are ever considering studying the Special Course I encourage you to go. 

Farewell Salzburg!