Århus, in the middle of Århus

What a lovely evening! I love sharing food at the best of times, but experiencing so many cultures in one go is something that can only truly be found at an international potluck dinner. We ate all sorts ranging from Venezuelan corn bread to Japanese soup as well as a taste of German, Spanish, Danish, Dutch and of course I made some toad in the holes! I'm so grateful that we now have a sociable dorm and are able to host such parties, plus spending time with friends is something I didn’t realise how much I had neglected whilst in London. I took the opportunity to introduce one of my favourite family games involving categories and cups of water being thrown on each other...

 

German Dampfnudler

 Working backwards, the last few weeks have progressively improved as I've got more stuck into Danish and student life, learning and improving my trumpet playing and settling at a church and meeting new people – thanks all you who have been praying for me! I still have various residency things to sort out and the Danish language speaking is still quite limited, but I’ve had my first speaking practice session with one of my dorm mates and he says I’m doing quite well so there’s hope yet.

Warning: nerdy paragraph alert

Having spent a crazy summer in many places with a sporadic practice schedule I was so grateful to get back into a routine and have a trumpet lesson again. After all, the main reason I applied to Denmark was to study with Kristian Steenstrup. After everything I had read about his methods and the radical change of moving to a new country, I was afraid it might not fulfil my expectations, but I was not disappointed in the slightest! This week has been my fifth lesson and it was particularly positive because I can already see how much his approach has benefited my playing and I'm seeing big improvements. I'm convinced that if everyone were to spend a month or two studying with him, they would not go back to another method because it's so logical, well thought-through and worthwhile investing in. Having said that, it would be pointless if you disagreed with the theoretical side of it! For anyone sitting on that bench I would recommend reading Blow Your Mind (he didn't pay me to write this, I promise). The other main factor I relish about RAMA life is the dedication and attitude of the students, particularly in the trumpet class. There's an ethos of support and encouragement for fellow classmates and it feels like a really safe environment to learn in without facing unnecessary judgement. Of course, we’ve also received (sometimes brutal) feedback from professionals since there were already two rounds of mock auditions. You can't argue that we don't face reality!

I think the sense of community within the department is demonstrated well by our trip to Aalborg for the rare opportunity to see Mnozil Brass perform live in Denmark - they were SO good! It was fun to have a look around the town too, taking in the classic Danish architecture and fun pub names...

Pub: Pigen og Trompeten/
The Girl and the Trumpet

In summary, I love that I can be confident moving to Denmark was the right decision and I’m grateful to God for guiding me through the process. Although I’m rarely homesick, I’m looking forward to having my Mum visit next week, some time off and a chance to explore this new city and country a bit more. Until next time!

S x

Looks like someone turned 25 recently...

The Danish tradition is to coat the birthday girl/boy
in cinnamon if they are not married by 25!

Settling in to Denmark: a mixed beginning (prayer letter)

18/08/2018

A new country, new language, new home, new course and new friends. It’s all very new and different. But what’s the one thing that always stays the same? God. He is my rock and my refuge and it’s in him that I can trust - always. At least I know that, but the first few days and weeks are always the hardest.

Having lived in Yorkshire the majority of my life, I then settled in London for 4 years which was briefly interrupted by an Erasmus exchange in Hungary. Through this I’ve experienced both extended home comforts and the joy of knowing lots of people around you and the sudden changes that occur moving from one home to another. I’m pretty sure God was sending me to Denmark. I’ve yet to find out why, but I intend to make the most of it. Upon arrival I was looking forward to meeting my flatmates and course mates, getting stuck into a new church and being open with people about my faith. I’m still optimistic, but with the different universities starting at varying times the student church service was cancelled last week and my flatmates appear to be hermits so I haven’t met or socialised with them as much as I’d anticipated. However, God has greatly blessed me with other international students, including a few Brits, to get alongside at my music college and I’ve very much enjoyed getting to know them!

It’s take two on church try-outs this week so hopefully I’ll have better luck this time! My main prayer points are:

1.      To find a good church and some fellow Christians.

2.      To meet and get to know flatmates (there are 12 of us, so far I’ve briefly met 4), hopefully leading to gospel-centred conversations.

3.      To maintain a positive outlook, always working for God’s glory both in studies and socialising.

P.S. If you have any encouraging passages or words, I will always appreciate them being sent my way!

How do I pronounce this?

Yep, you guessed it - I'm travelling again!

Yes, I brought my trumpet.

Bit of a different vibe on this trip, and to be honest it's exactly what I needed. The daunting prospect of a new year and worrying where someone hid my 4 years of degree has been sufficiently counteracted with some productivity doing a postgraduate audition and time enjoying some really fresh air. As in, feels like -4 degrees celsius plus a sea breeze level of fresh. But my, I've not felt so at ease for quite some time, even with the purpose of my trip being for an audition, and not even whilst in my homeland of Yorkshire. How bizarre. Well not really, when you look at how gracious God is. Only he could provide such peace and serenity in such a beautiful creation.

Look at that sky!

I love just walking around a new place, seeing the sights, trying to figure out the language and how the transport system works. Århus is small enough to do that without getting lost, which is just as well because I couldn't find a paper tourist map anywhere. In addition, there's something special about having time alone/with God in a place and not having to be anywhere in a hurry - the complete opposite to life in London. Being able to appreciate the Lord's creation with few distractions is really freeing, and often goes unencountered by many - why? Why do we (myself included) so often feel something is not worth doing unless it is documented? I was convicted to simply enjoy some moments for myself and the amusement of any strangers who may be watching.

In addition, it's been my third experience of Airbnb and I would really recommend it to anyone who likes a homely (and cheaper) stay. It's such a great way to really see how the locals live. It's also been part of the whole peaceful feel to this trip. The neighbourhood in Åbyhøj (good luck pronouncing that, I still can't) is so quiet and has an almost village-like style to it. Excuse the book-like description but seeing it frosted over with the orange sun rising over the hills is literally like something from a postcard (not that I've been able to find any postcards here either). "Quaint" would probably be a suitable description from us Brits.

Music Academy

Musically speaking, I've had the opportunity to meet Kristian Steenstrup - "regarded one of the finest music pedagogues of his generation" and was accompanied by David Strong - a fellow Yorkshireman! Every performance is a learning curve; not only in my abilities but my humility as well - something else that is remarkable in the way God is shaping me as I grow closer to him.

I'm sad to have to fly home tomorrow, but so grateful for this lovely experience and time away. Until next time, enjoy these "documentations" of some aspects of my trip!

S x

Musikhuset

Aarhus Cathedral

Dokk 1 - Library on the harbour which parks your car for you
 (not kidding)

Had time for some skating and thought the set-up was cute. 

A Year Later...

Roughly a year ago, I was delighting in the wonderful time I had just experienced in Budapest on Erasmus. So I decided it was time to re-visit the blog. Since then it's been a year of re-adjustment and challenges and honestly, it's not been that easy. However, I was reminded yesterday that God doesn't promise a life of uninterrupted pleasures, but that we experience Battles and Blessings throughout life, often right alongside each other (Bible in One Year, Day 4). I realise now that the incredible experiences I had were a gracious gift, for which I am so grateful.

In this new year, my first trip starts tomorrow in the form of a visit to Aarhus, Denmark, as I begin a string of auditions to find where my future may lie. There are so many things to consider and explore that it can, at times, be quite overwhelming, but it's so incredibly exciting at the same time. I don't really know where I'll be next year, but I plan to enjoy the process of finding out rather than allowing it to take me over. There's far more to life than stress. I might even stay in London, who knows?
In preparation for this particular audition I've been reading Kristian Steenstrup's book "Blow your mind", which explores Arnold Jacobs' and Kristian's approach to playing a brass instrument. I've found it enlightening to read about the physiology of trumpet playing alongside how we think about our practice and what takes our focus. Highly recommend it to any keen brass players, it's not too long and I found it a very accessible read (any jargon is well-explained). By the way, it's almost half price if you order from here: https://www.speedyhen.com/Product/Kristian-Steenstrup/Blow-Your-Mind/21185209

Danish Kroner

I'd better go and finish packing, but here's a little insight into how I coped on the "come-down" from an incredibly special period of my life;

Through the toughest patches of last year, I found comfort and hope in my Saviour, Jesus Christ. "He is my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 18:2) Nothing else comes close to the satisfaction he provides and particularly when I look back, I know how he has used my trials to bring me closer to him. My prayer is that others would acknowledge his awesome power and turn to him. Not only in the hard times, but in committing their life to him. He changed my life, he could change yours too.

S x