Lessons Learned: Piano Performance Major Claire Glenn Finds Inspiration in a Remote Italian Village

College of Music students have unparalleled access to international study and performance opportunities. Michigan State has one of the largest study abroad programs in the nation; currently more than 260 programs are offered in 63 countries. International experiences enable students to learn about different musical traditions and performance techniques, to develop leadership skills, and to build self-confidence.

Claire Glenn, a piano performance major, studied in Italy recently and describes how she found inspiration in the small village of Todi.

“Last summer, 10 College of Music students traveled to Todi, Italy, for the study abroad program “Master Classes at the Centro Studi Carlo della Giacoma.” As a piano student, this opportunity interested me, but I worried about the location. I had heard that tourists and university students bombarded Italy in the summer, transforming the “old world” into a “Disney World.”

“But the more I thought about a music-centered study abroad, the more appealing it became. Suddenly I found myself on a plane to meet Professor Deborah Moriarty and the other student participants in Rome. We got our first taste of Italian culture before we left the airport. After meeting our driver, we waited as he rearranged our luggage again and again, trying to squeeze it all into the hopelessly tiny trunk of his van. Yet somehow we got everything and everybody inside and began careening down the highway towards Todi.

“Far from the artificial tourist hot spot I had imagined, Todi is a town not known by many—even Italians. Narrow streets, enclosed by high stone walls, zigzag their way through the village. Daily life in Todi charmed me. The locals never seemed too busy to stop at Café Serrani for a cappuccino, stroll around the square, or take an afternoon nap.

“Studying in Todi refreshed my practice and study of music. Because there were only four practice rooms, the ten of us had to ration the time we spent in them. Yet we all discovered that with less practice time, we became more successful. As practice time became more valuable, we became more productive. The remote location also freed me from my usual distractions. Life in Todi gave me time to analyze my music away from the piano. I played through the music mentally, read through the scores, and got plenty of feedback during master-class performances.

“Those master classes intimidated me at first since I had only just completed my first year as an undergraduate. Not only was I critiqued by graduate students, I was expected to critique them. At the end of three weeks, however, I was no longer nervous but confident. Professor Moriarty put a lot of emphasis on peer critiques, making sure that everyone shared their opinion. I really benefited from the comments of so many experienced and talented students, but I also learned to trust my own judgment. Because I had to form my own opinions, I became better at really listening to the music instead of just hearing it.

“On our last day in Todi, Professor Moriarty took us to Café Serrani to talk about what we had experienced. As we enjoyed our last cappuccinos, we all agreed that quaint, remote Todi had forced us to relax, slow down, and experience music in a new way. Being able to study music in Italy was definitely magical—and not a bit like Disney World.”

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