{"id":9565,"date":"2019-06-13T09:18:22","date_gmt":"2019-06-13T08:18:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/music-matters\/?p=9565"},"modified":"2025-06-06T15:39:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T14:39:12","slug":"leaving-your-comfort-zone-corinna-jung-on-her-musical-year-at-kent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/music-matters\/2019\/06\/13\/leaving-your-comfort-zone-corinna-jung-on-her-musical-year-at-kent\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaving your comfort zone: Corinna Jung on her musical year at Kent"},"content":{"rendered":"

Corinna Jung<\/strong> came to the University in September from Germany to study International Criminal Justice as a postgraduate. Here, she reflects on her musical time at Kent and the importance of music to her life alongside her legal studies.<\/p>\n

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When I was considering universities to apply for my postgraduate studies, not only\u00a0was I trying to find one, which mirrors my academic interests best, but also it has\u00a0been equally important for me to choose a place, where I can make music and play\u00a0the violin in an orchestra again.<\/p>\n

During the six years of my undergraduate degree in Germany, I was a member of the University Symphony Orchestra, and as I look back, many of my best memories of\u00a0my study time in Germany have a musical background: I enjoyed making music with\u00a0people, who share the same passion for music as I do and I met wonderful\u00a0colleagues who have become my best friends over the years. In addition to that, I am\u00a0sure I wouldn\u00b4t have managed to deal with all my exams and assignments without\u00a0that kind of support and balance. Therefore, I was more than happy to realise that\u00a0the University of Kent not only has a fantastic law school, but also a strong music\u00a0department with plenty of opportunities for students to get involved in. Regardless of
\nwhether you play the violin, the trumpet or sing – there are so many different student\u00a0ensembles to join!<\/p>\n

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Corinna (fourth from left) with members of the String Sinfonia after performing Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After last week\u2019s wonderful Summer Music Week, I reflect upon
\nmy time at Kent and can say: what an incredible year full of music it has been!\u00a0When I joined the first rehearsal of the Symphony Orchestra in September, I was excited to see how they would rehearse and what kind of pieces would be played.\u00a0The concert in December has been my first one with this orchestra and I enjoyed\u00a0performing in the wonderful Colyer-Fergusson hall as well as playing a wide range of\u00a0pieces, both with and without chorus.<\/p>\n

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Strings attached: Melody, Zaneta (leader), Corinna, Millie, Molly and Rosie after the Cathedral Concert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the concert, the director of the String Sinfonia, Floriane Peycelon, asked me if I would like to join the Sinfonia from the next term on and all I can say is it turned out to be one of the greatest musical\u00a0opportunities I have had so far! As a string ensemble, we have been involved in\u00a0many different concerts over the year, including lunchtime concerts, the Dido and\u00a0Aeneas<\/em> performance in February in which we performed Purcell\u2019s opera with the\u00a0University Cecilian Choir, the premiere of Between Worlds<\/em> with the amazingly\u00a0talented violinist Anna Phoebe last week and – last but not least! – our ‘own’ Sinfonia\u00a0concerts in which we played wonderful – and quite challenging – compositions for\u00a0strings, such as Tchaikovsky\u2019s Serenade<\/em> and Britten\u2019s Simple Symphony<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Bows at the end of the production of ‘Dido and Aeneas’ in Colyer-Fergusson Hall, Feb 2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The String Sinfonia rehearsing in Colyer-Fergusson Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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‘Between Worlds’ by Anna Phoebe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the highlights of the academic year for me has definitely been the concert in Canterbury\u00a0Cathedral in March and performing in this unique location was a special experience\u00a0for me. Beyond that, the Summer Music Week, comprising of a series of concerts\u00a0with different themes, from an easy-going summery concert with McMozart and ‘Dance of the Comedians’ to a more serious and formal Between Worlds<\/em> concert. And\u00a0finally, the Gala concert, featuring Symphony Orchestra and University of Kent\u00a0Chorus and Chamber Choir. It was a fantastic way to end my musical year at Kent.<\/p>\n

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I would like to say a huge thank you to Susan Wanless, Daniel Harding and Flo\u00a0Peycelon – you\u2019ve always made me feel very welcome and appreciated as part of the ‘team’ and you put tremendous effort and energy in creating all these opportunities
\nfor students who want to make music to a high standard and who want to find an\u00a0important balance alongside their studies. The same applies to my Sinfonia\u00a0colleagues; you have been so lovely and open-minded!<\/p>\n

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You can just glimpse Corinna in the crook of Anna’s arm…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Therefore I encourage every (overseas) student to get involved in the musical life at\u00a0Kent, no matter how awkward it will be at the beginning to leave one\u00b4s own comfort\u00a0zone. And even if it might just be for a year, make the most of your time here and do\u00a0what you enjoy. I have had a wonderful year with the music department, and I am\u00a0sure that whenever I will look back at my time in Canterbury, these happy memories\u00a0will be a huge part of it.<\/p>\n

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