Which DAAD program did you receive support through?

The Study Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies in the Field of Music.

Where did you go?

West Berlin (at the time).

What comes to mind when you think of your DAAD experience in Germany?

Expansion.

When you think of your DAAD experience, are there any  stories, memories, or reflections that come to mind?

Having lived and studied in the small city of Victoria B.C., my studies in West Berlin were transformative. Not only was my musical education excellent, exposure to the lively cultural worlds of Berlin wonderfully overwhelmed me.

What impact did this experience have on your career? Your life?

The experience of what I heard in Berlin (at both the Philharmonic and the Opera) still inform my inner musical choices.

Is there anything you wish you had known before you went to Germany?

I wish I had a better understanding of the language, but my particular programme was not academically based, it was direct musical instruction.

What advice would you give a young scholar thinking of applying to a DAAD program?

Understand what a rich opportunity it will be. Choose a city that will also stimulate you outside of your academic research focus.