Our journey with the Danube Sounds* project took me, along with former and current mdw students, to the remarkable cities of Budapest and Bucharest. The first concert was held in Budapest, where I had the honour of performing alongside Pedro Minhava Reis (clarinet), an mdw alumnus, and Nicole Henter (flute), who is currently studying at the mdw. Budapest greeted us with light rain on the concert day, but the city’s unmistakable charm as a musical hub of Europe quickly made us feel at home. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Fábián Vörös, a consultant for Film & Music at the Austrian Cultural Forum Budapest, who guided us to our hotel and reviewed the day’s schedule with us.

After check-in and a quick break, we set out for the concert hall through the charming streets of Terézváros (Theresa Town), known for its beautiful villas. A delicious coffee at Matinee Coffeeshop fuelled us for the evening ahead, and soon we arrived at the hall. The concert took place in the historic chamber music hall of the Old Liszt Academy—an extraordinary venue that infused the evening with a unique atmosphere. Following the concert, the Austrian Cultural Forum Budapest hosted us for dinner, giving us the chance to connect with the talented Wanderer Quartet students from the host institution in a relaxed, welcoming environment.

In contrast, Bucharest, where I had a second chance to perform with the Danube Sounds project, was an entirely new experience for me. This time, I was joined by my two students Lucija Spevec, a soprano from Croatia, and Seokju Hong, a bass-baritone from South Korea, who are both currently pursuing their master’s degrees in opera and musical drama. Upon our arrival, we were met with a warm reception by the Deputy Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum Bucharest, Andrei Popov, and the Vice-Rector of the National University of Music Bucharest, Verona Maier. This heartfelt welcome set the tone for our stay. That evening, after our rehearsal in the George Enescu Hall, we attended an orchestral concert at the impressive Romanian Athenaeum—an awe-inspiring venue and one of Romania’s most beautiful concert halls.

The following day, we enjoyed a leisurely walk through Bucharest’s Old Town before the concert, exploring the city’s Orthodox churches, grand architecture, and the famous Bulevardul Unirii with the towering Palace of Parliament in the background. Our performance in the George Enescu Hall at the National University of Music was the perfect finale to our visit, and the audience’s enthusiastic applause was a powerful affirmation for my students, who performed with remarkable passion and dedication on this international stage.

The Danube Sounds project opened doors to the international stage and illustrated just how enriching musical exchange and cross-border collaboration can be—an experience that will remain with us for years to come.

Photo credits if not mentioned otherwise: Mennan Bërveniku-Brunner