International Experience Makes Graduate Student Competitive

International Experience Makes Graduate Student Competitive

According to Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) candidate David Hill, students need exceptional experiences to be an outstanding candidate in their post-graduate life. For David, his exceptional experiences included three summer study abroad experiences in Freilberg, Germany.  Freiberg is a town with a medieval city center, Freiberg Technical University, and the Mid-Saxony Opera Theater, a center for education and musical artistry.  David participated in the JMU short-term study abroad experience titled “Opera, Lieder, Language and Culture of Germany: Summer Music Program for Singers, Pianists, and Conductors” taught by several faculty including Dr. Dorothy Maddison from JMU.

David’s dream is to conduct opera, ideally, in the context of an academic position.  He says that for a classical musician, the ability to perform and teach in Europe maximized his professional experiences.   David describes the 6-week summer experience as a “packed program.”  During the experience he served as a staff accompanist, was able to conduct a double bill that had six performances, participated in two Lieder concerts, and five group recitals with the group from the United States in various venues.  He participated in the main show in the opera house, providing piano accompaniment for operetta rehearsals.

David’s wife, Leah Hill (2012), an alumnus of the JMU Master of Music program, assisted the group as a staff member. Leah sang a leading role when she replaced another singer who was ill during the trip.  In addition, Leah also sang a solo during the final arias concert. 

This study-abroad experience is available to 10-20 JMU students from the undergraduate to the advanced graduate levels.  To participate, students must audition and must be prepared to assume various roles.  German is not required, but it is helpful as students study German as part of the experience.  In addition to students from JMU, students from Carnegie Mellon University and Arizona State University typically participate in this program.

Dr. Dorothy Maddison says that "It has been a joy to coordinate this program with the Graduate Office, the School of Music, and the Office of International Programs here at JMU.  David and Leah represent some of the best advanced students that are now being drawn to our university to further their knowledge, musical skills and life experiences.  The communities that work with us both in the USA and Germany have also been enriched by the Hill's participation, and the long-term friendships and networks that they have helped us to build are an integral part of JMU's international mission in the world."

David says that one of the strengths of this program is the length.  A six-week summer program is rather long for a “short-term” experience, but with length you have the opportunity for many experiences; you can work with many different people and you have the opportunity to perform in many venues.  David reports that through this experience he developed a genuine love of the culture and people of this region of Germany.

David received tuition support from The Graduate School at JMU.  He has repeatedly expressed tremendous gratitude for the support from the Graduate School, the assistance he received from Dr. Maddison, and the guidance from several other program faculty including Dr. Bill Reber from Arizona State University and a master performer and artistic coach, Eckart Sellheim..

David advises students interested in this program, or comparable ones, to prepare themselves prior to the experience.  For this trip, students can prepare by studying German and the various roles assumed on the trip.  He warns that Americans who travel abroad often experience “culture shock,” so the more you can do to prepare for the experience the better.

David and Leah Hill are excited about their new positions as full-time faculty at Pensacola Christian College where they earned both their B.A. and M.A. degrees.  David feels that the professional experiences offered at JMU, and through the Freiberg summer program, have prepared them well for their new careers.