Longfield Gospel Singers at the Schottenstift

In beautiful downtown Vienna lies the Schottenstift, where the Longfield Gospel Singers (LGS) performed their famous "Unplugged"-concert yesterday. It was the first time I could join them in a public performance, and I was really, really looking forward to it!

I had joined the LGS in February this year, and of course the first concert is a very exciting moment especially for the newbies. We had started rehearsing for "Unplugged" at the beginning of the semester, and since then old and new members have mingled, new friends have been made, and we did a lot of fun-filled rehearsing!

Our director and conductor at work. Longfield is his Baby, and he is putting a lot of blood and sweat and work into the project, but deep down I know that he has fun too!

Even though it was very warm - Spring has settled in outside, and the honorable old rooms of the Schottenstift do not have air condition (which is no good for singers anyway) - the mood was perfect, and we were happy to start the show.

The audience was absolutely marvellous and made it easy for us to get into the mood.

Our two leadsingers did their best to entertain the audience - just like all of us Singers did!

The point of the "Unplugged"-concerts is, that the audience has the opportunity to get really close to the choir. No microphones, no light-show - all focuses on hearing and the pure "life" experience.

This is why you get us not only on stage but also in different formations and different places, even right within the audience.

I sung and attended lots of concerts before, but this version of "Unplugged" was completely new to me. But believe me: It was absolutely brilliant, I have never done and seen anything better in a concert! The mood and energy were phantastic, and we definately rocked the place, together with the wonderful audience!

Another formation you could find us in last night. One of our last songs was the well known "Oh happy day" - and a happy day it was!

And afterwards some well needed rest in the quiet Spring night of the Schottenstift.

My first concert with the Longfield Gospel Singers - and I cannot wait for the next time. I guess I am hooked!

Spondeo!

Even though my resistance of participating in an academic celebration had weakend for a minute back in January when I hit this certain key on the keyboard I was not exactly happy when the morning arrived.I felt really horrible and did not want to go but was shooed there anyway - which was good, because in the end it turned out to be a very special moment to be remembered for the rest of my life.

The "Sponsion" took place in the Great Hall of the Main University building, and the breefing of the candidates happened behind closed doors. Meanwhile the audience gathered in the hall and found their seats.

Here from left to right family and friends who are very close to my heart: my mom, Katzi, my MIL, Herr Hasi and Zinsi - photo taken by my Hase, der mit mir wohnt. I thank you so much for sharing this special moment with me, I was so happy to have you there and it meant a lot to me.

The Vice-Decan of the University held a very funny speach about the unnecessarity of academic celebrations and the academia, about "rites de passage" and much more - it was lots of fun listening to him, but also made you think. You could tell that the way he was adressing the audience came from the heart, and even though I am sure he is attending such celebrations more often then one could even guess, he made it all very special and personal for us.  (And besides I was so happy that I had somehow managed to present my field of studies and my thesis without being too emotional, so sitting there and listening to Mr Hulfeld was definately a good thing.)

Both our dignitaries. They are highly decorated members of the University, and still they were extremely warm and kind and seemed very, very happy for us.

After spondeo and handshake of the dignitaries the first time with my master certificate. Yey!!!

Afterwards we came together for champagne and canapées to celebrate a little. (Dear family and friends, I am fully aware that this is probably not the best photo of all of us, but all the others came out a blur so bear with me please.)

Wow, it is done. A toast and warm thoughts back to the past few years, that might have been the best years of my life businesswise. I loved to study, to write and to think and it is hard to let go. But to speak with the words of  André Gide:

"Man entdeckt keine neuen Erdteile, ohne den Mut zu haben, alte Küsten aus den Augen zu verlieren."

So off I sail, into a new and unknown and hopefully happy Future - to new shores and into new oceans. Spondeo - yippieee!