Ivan Beaufils studies music education at the mdw and completed two successive study-abroad programmes in piano pedagogy: first at the Conservatory of Music of the University of Sydney, and then at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK). In between, he still had time for extensive travel and another training course.

In summer 2022, Ivan first embarked for Sydney, as the Australian summer semester begins in July and ends in November. Sydney was in many respects a big step for Ivan: “It was the first time that I had left Vienna for an extended period of time, and then right away I went to the other end of the world—without knowing anyone there and also very far from home with regard to time zones.” But he quickly felt very welcome at the university. Activities for exchange students are organised centrally by the University of Sydney. “You come into contact with many other international students, and they study all sorts of subjects—not just music”, says Ivan. He stayed in a shared flat that he found online at flatmates.com.au because, as he says, “At student residences, you are mostly together with other exchange students, but I wanted contact with the locals.” Rents for rooms in shared flats are higher there than in Vienna but significantly lower than in student residences in Sydney. With an Australian student visa, one is permitted to work parallel to studying, which can provide a bit of financial support, thanks to Australia’s very high minimum wage. Ivan, as well, took occasional jobs in order to save for things like his subsequent travels.*

Ivan was satisfied with the instruction at the Conservatory of Music: “Overall, it was well organised, the level was high, and there were standardised assessment criteria for the classes.” One can only take a certain number of classes, however, so one can’t choose as many elective classes or additional instrumental or voice lessons as is often possible at the mdw.

Sydney, with its five million residents, delighted Ivan with its international atmosphere, the noticeable influences of various cultures, and the attitude of the locals: “I met very open and positive people there. People often say that the Australians are ‘laid back’, and I can confirm that.” Ivan also quickly became accustomed to what Europeans often consider to be an exaggerated and superficial friendliness and even found it agreeable: “When friends greet each other, a ‘Nice to see you’ would often be insufficient; you are more likely to hear: ‘Oh my god! It is soooo great to see you!’”

Just like not all Austrians ski, not all Australians are surfers. “But people like hanging out at the beach, and there is a relaxed surfer vibe there,” says Ivan. In general, people in Australia enjoy doing outdoor activities. The cuisine in Australia is enriched through the many ethnic communities that are to be found in large cities such as Sydney. Ivan recalls in particular the very good Asian food. The classical-music scene in Sydney is not comparable to that of Vienna because it is much smaller and is less heavily subsidised, but Ivan found the jazz scene to be quite lively. He was also very taken with the exhibitions of contemporary art there. “There is not this long history in music and art that they have in Europe, for example, but this then allows space for a great deal of new, experimental art,” remarks Ivan. He was not really able to identify anything typically Australian: “The classical scene seems to be inspired by Europe, the modern scene by America, and then there are art genres from other continents and the culture of the Aborigines from right there in that country. This makes for an exciting mix.”

After the end of the semester, Ivan headed to New Zealand for a month to work on a farm, but also and especially to hike. And he couldn’t resist making a side trip to Fiji. He still had some time before starting his next study-abroad sojourn in Berlin in spring 2023, so he also took the opportunity to go to India to do a training course as a yoga instructor and travel around. “India was an incredible experience,” Ivan says enthusiastically.

The transition from India to Berlin was easy for him. “Because of the cultural and geographical proximity to Vienna, arriving in Berlin was more like a homecoming,” recalls Ivan. From his experiences in Sydney, he knew: “During a semester abroad, it is easy to meet other exchange students but not so much local students. My tip is to look for classes and events outside the university in order to meet people.”

Ivan found the music education department at the UdK and its offerings to be similar to that of the mdw, although the UdK’s department is smaller. At the recommendation of his instructors at the mdw, he applied at the UdK for a spot with Linde Großmann. “Linde Großmann’s teaching style is very precise and analytical with regard to playing technique. I received a lot of great new input, like what was happening with my body while playing.”

Berlin is known for being a very difficult city to find housing. During his stay there, Ivan switched shared flats three times because as a subtenant he was only allowed to stay in a flat for one month. But this also meant he was able to get to know different parts of the city. “Berlin is more of a cosmopolitan city than a German city, and every neighbourhood has its own particular vibe and characteristic scenes.”

Back in Vienna, Ivan is looking forward to a more “boring” life and to going back to teaching and studying in a familiar environment. In retrospect, he says that the great stimulation that comes from travel can also be exhausting, and that it can be just as nice to concentrate on only one destination for a year. Nonetheless, as Ivan says of his year abroad: “It was an exciting, stimulating time, and I don’t regret one step along the way.”

More impressions of Ivan´s journeys:

*Notes on financial matters:

With mobility programmes outside Europe as part of a bilateral partnership, there is no automatic financial aid for students.

They must finance their stay abroad on their own. More information