Viva Italia! A summer memory

The first night we arrived in Urbania, Italy, none of us could speak Italian.

Gradually over the course of three to five hours of Italian instruction daily at Centro Studi Italiani, we began to understand how to get around in Urbania. Twelve Millikin music majors and six Millikin alumni joined adjunct assistant professors Kathryn Hartgrove and Brygida Bziukiewicz for an experience that would change our lives.

Our weeks consisted of intensive Italian studies, a voice lesson from each of the Millikin professors and two half-hour coachings from two Rossini Opera Festival vocal coaches. Some of the students who went to Italy did a three-credit course to fulfill Millikin requirements. Others did a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship grant and others, like me, just came for the experience of learning Italian in Italy.

I spent a few weekends traveling. I went to Bologna, Siena, Rome, Florence and Verona. Every day I felt so excited because we would be walking along and practically run into 200- to 2000-year-old pieces of art history.

As amazing as all of this was, by the end of my sightseeing, I missed Urbania. This small town nestled in the hills was host to all my new friends and new experiences.

During the trip, I got to know the people from Millikin a lot better and met so many interesting people from all over the world.

My roommate for that month was from the Basque region of Spain. Her name was Nuria. We would stay up late every night and sing lullabies to each other in our respective tongues. My base knowledge of languages increased.

My other very close friends were from London. Paul and Dan, familiar with Italy, really livened up my life with Bocce lessons (a bowling-type game) and tastes of Italian deserts and of grappa, an Italian drink.

Aside from all of the recreational parts of my trip, the main reason I went to Italy was to sing and to learn Italian expression from the source. I can only say that Hartgrove and Bziukiewicz, along with the coaches from the Rossini Opera Festival, kicked my voice and my Italian expression into shape. I have never had such intensive daily singing instruction. My voice changed and grew like a grape on a vine.

Each day when I was practising, I attempted to put all their hard work and determination into my voice so I would be able to perform at the concerts.

Oh, to sing for Italians! Aye me, it was amazing-they understood what we were saying and laughed at the appropriate places. We packed the house both nights. The first concert was only solo work and the second was scene work followed by a well-received "Tonight" quartet from West Side Story.

I got to see and experience all kinds of new things. I couldn't help but bring parts of Italy back with me; it changed me and is in my heart forever. Viva Italia!