Through the Sir Elton John Global Exchange Programme, the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London carries out international projects and student exchange programmes with selected partner institutions, including the mdw. As a generous supporter of the Royal Academy of Music, Sir Elton John sponsors the exchange programme that bears his name.

The RAM students Theo Hayward (viola) and Will Priest (double bass) were at the mdw in June 2025 for the orchestra project of the Webern Symphony Orchestra (WSO) as part of the Sir Elton John Global Exchange Programme. A week of intensive rehearsals with the mdw students, held at venues including the atmospheric Kuppelsaal of the TU Wien, was followed by the culmination of the event: the concert by the WSO at Vienna’s Konzerthaus on 10 June 2025 with Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D major.

It was Theo’s first visit to Vienna. “We felt very welcome at the mdw. We had a busy rehearsal schedule during our stay but still had some time for ourselves,” says Theo about the eleven days in Vienna.

Fedor Rudin, professor of orchestral studies at the mdw, conducted the rehearsals and the concert. He is not only a conductor but also a violinist. “It is always good if the person directing the orchestra also plays an instrument themselves. Working with him was fantastic. He paid great attention to musical details,” says Theo about the rehearsal work, which he found to be a good balance between seriousness and having fun playing music.

The day of the concert was overshadowed by the school shooting in Graz. Accordingly, the concert began with a moment of silence. “This tragic event gave the concert an additional emotional element. It was a very strong performance. The events also remind you how fortunate you are yourself,” says the young musician.

The interaction with the mdw students proved to be unproblematic. Above all, Theo appreciated getting to know not only not only violists but also other instrumentalists as well as students from various other countries. The full rehearsal schedule still allowed time for exploring Vienna: Will and Theo went swimming in the Danube, visited museums like the Belvedere, and spent time in parks such as the Stadtpark.

The two RAM students were also able to sit in on lessons at the mdw. Theo, for example, attended lessons taught by Gerhard Marschner, a viola professor at the mdw. One thing he found remarkable about the mdw was that the students can choose among a large number of projects to participate in: “You see that the students then really want to be part of that project and to play precisely that music.”

Theo, a native of Belfast, is currently studying for his bachelor’s degree at the RAM. He began playing violin at the age of seven but became increasingly interested in the viola, which he then switched to when he was fourteen. “In orchestral music, the viola plays the role of a kind of double agent, and I mean that as a compliment for the art of the melody. The viola is a better fit for me and suits my musical strengths,” he explains. His siblings also play instruments: his brother is a double bassist and his sister plays Irish folk music as a hobby. “For our parents, the important thing was always for us to have fun playing music,” says Theo.

The RAM student would recommend participating in exchange programmes such as the Sir Elton John Global Exchange Programme to other students as well. “It is really cool to gain insights into a different kind of orchestral playing. I think that at the first rehearsal for the WSO, my playing was still a bit different because we are taught in a slightly different way. It is interesting to observe the differences and to adopt a thing or two from the other musicians,” explains Theo. “The mdw team helped us to find our way around. Being part of the programme was a predominantly positive experience.”

Photos of the concert: Daniel Willinger

Text: Isabella Gaisbauer