AMADEUS Alumni Update from MDW (University of Music and Performing Arts)

The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (German translation: Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, MDW) is an Austrian university located in Vienna, it was first established in 1817. MDW is a large university with over 3000 students, this makes it the largest arts university in Austria and one of the largest in Europe.  In 2019 it was voted one of the “best performing arts schools in the world” by the CEOWORLD magazine. You can find the article here. MDW has promoted Music and the Arts for over 200 years and has a stellar reputation for high-quality learning and education. All bachelor courses are conducted in German.

We here at AMADEUS are exceedingly proud of Li Rong as not only was she accepted into MDW, but she was accepted into the course with a top ranking in the entrance exam. Congratulations Li Rong!

German Skills was a Necessity

Li Rong graduated in 2020 with excellent marks in Music, she went on to audition for and be accepted into the Bachelor programme  ‘Instrumental (Gesang)Pädagogik Klavier’ in German. Li Rong was a wonderful performer at AMADEUS and we miss her amazing piano skills. Although Li Rong had studied German for many years, studying in German is very different from her time at AMADEUS. She has been working hard to expand her vocabulary and terminology to ensure she has the writing skills to succeed.

Li Rong has been having courses in both theoretical lessons (pop & classical music history/ pedagogical psychology in music/ harmony theory/ music analysis) and more practical courses (individual instrument lessons/ ear training/ conducting/ rhythmic course/ ensemble). Her major is pedagogy, and she is often taught from a pedagogic perspective (not only the knowledge itself). From the second year on, she will have to choose a ‘Schwerpunkt’ or ‘focus’ on what she wants to master (e.g. teaching school-age children/ ensemble/ second instrument, etc.) and this will prepare her for a future career.

How the IB Helps

Li Rong was part of the IB Music Higher-level (HL) course with our talented teacher, Mr Tornitore, so not only was she able to take her music skills with her but she also felt the IB helped her greatly:

“What I learned from IB that helped me in Uni courses would be Music analysis/ music theory in IB Music HL course. I think what IB Music taught me lays a useful and important  base for my future study.

In addition, I think TOK also helped me a lot, mainly critical thinking. Also the writing skills that I developed in all the subjects in IB courses (TOK, English, EE, IA etc.) help me a lot in my uni courses. Although the language and the field is different, the mindset I built up during IB is not ignorable.”

We wish Li Rong all the best in her studies and hope she will come back soon to play for us again.

Learn more

If you would like to find out more about MDW, visit their homepage.

You can also find more AMADEUS alumni stories here in the column to the right, or visit our Alumni page.