What is Die Liederreise?

Die Liederreise is a 17-day student trip to Germany with a focus on studying German Lieder and their cultural background in the setting where they were composed. Students will visit German cities, tour composers’ houses, go to world-class concerts, and receive high-class musical training together in an artistically-minded intensive setting.

If you are interested in honing your skills as a German Lied singer or pianist (or other instrumentalist), or deepening your understanding of the genre as a musicologist or Germanist, then Die Liederreise is for you.

Elements

Masterclasses At the heart of our trip are two five-day masterclass phases in beautiful rural rehearsal facilities, where we all live, eat, work, and hang out together. During our two masterclass phases, each pianist and singer on the trip (and potentially other instrumentalists) will receive daily lessons in German Lied interpretation to shape and sharpen their performance skills. We will work on text understanding, diction, phrasing, performance traditions, stage presence, and anything else that contributes to a fantastic performance of German Lieder.

Poetry Class Also during our two masterclass phases, the whole group will meet daily in a seminar format to delve into the rich German poetic heritage which gave birth to the Lied as an art form. We will look at the texts of major song cycles and the cultural background which is indispensable for understanding these texts.

Opera Germany is the country with the highest concentration of opera houses in the world. We will be watching German-language performances of Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) by Richard Wagner and Die Dreigroschenoper (The Three-Penny Opera) by Kurt Weill at the Staatstheater Nürnberg, a renowned A-Opera-House in Bavaria. Both of these contrasting German operas were very influential in their time and today.

Leipzig Following the two masterclass phases, we will be traveling to the city of Leipzig, home of Felix Mendelssohn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Robert & Clara Schumann and others. We will listen to a cantata performed in St. Thomas Church, where Bach worked for 27 years. We will also have the opportunity to tour the homes of Bach and the Schumanns.

FAQ

Who is eligible to apply?
Anyone age 18-35 with qualification as a singer, instrumentalist, musicologist, or Germanist may apply. Individuals with other career paths who have a strong interest in the subject of German Lieder will also be considered.
Can I get college credit for the trip?
It is possible to earn college credit for this trip by enrolling in the Summer Intersession I course called “MUS 437-537” (Special Topics in Music History) at the University of New Mexico. Students may then apply for this credit to be transferred to their home institution. The course instructors can offer advisement on the enrollment process if applicants have any questions.
Do I have to be a singer/pianist?
The bulk of the German Lied repertoire is for one or multiple singers with piano. However, there is a long tradition of German Lied accompanying on the guitar or harp. Likewise, there are certain Lieder written for voice with ensembles (like clarinet, or piano trio). That means that instrumentalists who are interested in Lied repertoire originally written or transcribed for their instruments are welcome to participate in the masterclasses with those works. Students will be responsible for bringing or organizing their own instruments for the trip.

While there will be a major emphasis on the hands-on music lessons during the masterclass phases, there will also be alternative offerings for those with a research focus.

How do we travel?
The group will meet on May 15th at Munich International Airport, which has direct flight service to all major US airport hubs. We will be traveling by train when we change cities every few days, so make sure to pack luggage you are able to carry on your own.
What is included in the course fee?
The course fee will cover the costs of all scheduled instruction, train travel, hotels, museum tickets and opera tickets on the trip, as well as board during the masterclass phases. For the trips outside of the masterclass phase, students are responsible for purchasing their own food and tickets to any additional activities. Students need to book their own flights.
Do I have to speak German?
While all instruction will be in English, a basic knowledge of the German language will make the musical interpretation and daily life in German cities (e.g.
reading signs and menus) much easier. If you have never taken German (or it has been awhile), we strongly encourage you to work on your German before the trip.

The Instructors

Josh Ripley

Joshua Rupley studied Piano Performance (B.Mus.) and German Language and Literature (B.A.) at the University of New Mexico before emigrating to Germany. He earned a M.Mus. in Piano performance under Silke-Thora Matthies and a M.Mus. in German Lieder Interpretation under Gerold Huber. An award-winning specialist on the German Lied repertoire from both the literary and musical sides, he has recorded several CDs of German Lieder and worked with some of the finest Lied singers in Germany, including Christian Gerhaher, Jochen Kupfer, Benedikt Heggemann, and Julian Habermann. He is currently on faculty for Lied interpretation at the Leopold Mozart College of Music at the University of Augsburg, Germany.

Kristin Ditlow

Dr. Kristin Ditlow studied Piano Performance and Vocal Accompanying (B.M.) at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Vocal Accompanying and Coaching at Westminster Choir College (M.M.) and Collaborative Piano at the Eastman School of Music (D.M.A.). Further studies in song and lieder took her to the Tanglewood Music Center and the Franz Schubert Institut. Her published output includes CDs with instrumentalists Veronica Mascaro (flute); Eric Lau (saxophone) and Ellen Rose (viola); a double-disc of solo works released in 2022, and an upcoming release in
2024 of all-Widor songs with soprano Amy Pfrimmer. She is co-editor of a new anthology of Widor songs also to be released in late 2024. She is on the faculty of the University of New Mexico as Associate Professor of Vocal Coaching and Music Director of UNM Opera Theatre.

Course Fee

Students taking the course for college credit: $2000 plus tuition for 3 credit hours during UNM Summer Intersession I (Special Topics in Music History, MUS 437/537).
Students taking the course without college credit: $2500.00.

Please note that this fee does not include:

  • the cost of airfare to Germany
  • isolated meals on the trip (many are included in the board of the two-weeks of master classes)
  • fee to obtain or renew a passport
  • international health insurance

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