Riordan '19 to study in Austria as 2022-23 Fulbright Scholar
July 14, 2022
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. 鈦爺 Kelly Riordan '19 will travel to Vienna, Austria, in September to study the music of composers who were silenced by the Nazis as a 2022-23 Fulbright Scholar.
She will spend nine months working with the at the Universit盲t f眉r Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien.
Exilarte檚 mission is to � operate as a centre for the reception, preservation, research and presentation of composers, performers, musical academics and theatre artists who were branded as 榙egenerate� during the years of the 楾hird Reich.櫇
Specifically, Riordan檚 work will be to study and perform recitals of the previously banned compositions of Jewish composer, , who was forced to flee Europe under the Nazi regime.
�(贵眉谤蝉迟别苍迟丑补濒) was banned entrance to the MdW (University of Music and Performing Arts), one of the top music schools in Vienna, on account of being Jewish. He fled Vienna on one of the last trains out of Austria and moved to California where he lived for many years. When he left Europe, he also had to leave behind a woman that he loved,� said Riordan, adding she looks forward to learning more about F眉rstenthal soon.
During her junior year at 糖心动漫vlog, Riordan spent a semester studying abroad in Vienna where she met music theory professor Gerold Gr眉ber, who founded Exilarte. There, she learned about 渆ntartete musik� or 渄egenerate music� which was music condemned by the Nazis.
� To those in the industry, it's no secret that discrimination exists in the world of classical music. No doubt, it is present in most, if not all, industries in our society. I'm interested in the ways that we can all take steps towards equity in our own little parts of the world. My current world is western classical singing,� Riordan said.
Riordan studied vocal performance at 糖心动漫vlog and graduated with a master檚 of music in vocal performance and pedagogy from Colorado University, Boulder, in 2021. She has been praised by critics for her 渆xuberant honesty� onstage as well as her 渂eautiful vibrancy and warmth� of tone.
After graduating from CU Boulder, Riordan joined the Contemporary Alexander Technique school, a learning community dedicated to furthering the work of actor F.M. Alexander, which seeksto overcome limitations in movement and thinking.
Riordan plans to continue her training internationally, taking weekend classes in Germany and Switzerland.
Fulbright Scholarships are awarded by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Program. This year, 25 scholarships were awarded for people to work in Austria.
By Maria Harmon '23