Frequently Asked Questions

Is this Institute only for music teachers?

Why does this Institute begin so early?

How much is the stipend for teachers? When will I get my money?

Is my stipend taxable?

Where will we stay in Vienna?

What kind of computer and internet services can I expect?

Do I have to know German to get around in the city?

Should I take travelers’ checks?

What will the weather be like in Austria during the Institute?

What kinds of clothes should I bring?

What about travel within Europe?

What do you like about living in Vienna for a month?

Is this Institute only for music teachers?
NO. I strongly encourage other humanities to apply. One of the reasons for the success of past seminars and institutes is the rich mix of interdisciplinary discussion, both during institute sessions and during free time. Typically past seminars and institutes have had 1/3 to 1/4 music teachers, but comparable proportions of history and English teachers, with language and other humanities teachers mixed in as well. I do expect all chosen to be able to read music, at least well enough to follow a score. And so, if you’re not a music specialist teacher, then please make sure you address that point somewhere in your application essay.

Why does this Institute begin so early?
I know that by June 16, when this Institute begins, many teachers will just barely be finishing the school year, and some–for example, most teachers from New York state–will still be in school, and need to be released from the last week or more of classes. Nevertheless, I’ve always scheduled seminars or institutes in Vienna to begin in about mid-June because the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Volksoper, as well as the Vienna Philharmonic and other major performing organizations, finish their season on or before June 30. And one of the great opportunities of being in Vienna is to attend concerts and opera in Vienna, with perhaps the richest musical culture in the world.

Virtually every summer I have several teachers who need to get released from the closing days of their school year. Almost all the time, that has happened pretty automatically–most principals and/or superintendents understand the prestige of being chosen to participate in NEH programs, and the way that participants will enrich the teaching-learning process after they return. On a very few occasions I’ve had to write or call a principal to help make the case, and I’m happy to do that.

How much is the stipend for teachers? When will I get my money?
The NEH stipend is currently $750 per week, for all institutes and seminars, whether domestic or held abroad. The total stipend for participants in Mozart’s Worlds is $3,000. Since this Mozart institute will be held abroad, the NEH allows me to pay your entire stipend in advance, probably in early May (minus some money for a couple of specialized books I want you to read, and a deposit for our hotel during the trip to Prague).

Is my stipend taxable?
Neither the NEH nor I can answer that definitively; see your tax advisor. You will receive a 1099 form from the University of Dayton for the entire amount. Do the following, however:
$ check IRS publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.
$ keep receipts and save records of your expenses.

Where will we stay in Vienna?
For several years I’ve based my seminars and institutes at the Hotel Strudlhof, in the NW corner of the central city, just a few blocks outside Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse. Its about 2 blocks from the US Embassy, and therefore we’ve been able to get the Embassy’s discounted rate for participants–amounting to a significant discount, probably 25-30%. The Hotel has an extremely friendly and helpful front-desk staff, an incredibly bountiful breakfast buffet, good-sized and pleasant rooms, a small exercise and sauna room, and a modest roof-top terrace where some participants would regularly eat lunch, and others would gather each evening to rehash the day with a glass of wine and look over the lights of the city. The Hotel is on the fringe of the University district, and is very convenient to several lines of public transportation, numerous modestly-priced restaurants, coffee houses and internet cafes, and other things one would expect to find in a university neighborhood. Rooms are very quiet at night–good for sleeping.

Over the years, a few participants have stayed with friends or relatives living elsewhere in the city, or have taken private rooms or apartments, and this will be possible once again in 2008. It is probable, however, that participants who find their own accommodations will miss some of the fellowship with the rest of the group. And in any case, to be fair to the Hotel, which is holding a block of rooms for me, I’ll expect participants to make a decision about housing–either at the institute hotel or not–fairly quickly after notification.

What kind of computer and internet services can I expect?
The Hotel does not have computer connections in each room, unless one uses the normal phone line connections–an expensive proposition. There is a computer in the lobby for quickly checking e-mail. The cheapest alternatives for e-mail, however, are internet cafes, and several are within a couple of blocks of the Hotel. Don’t expect to be able to do research on the internet, however; computer time will just be too expensive. And thus, for your research I will ship a library of 50-75 books over to Austria.

Do I have to know German to get around in the city?
No. Especially in the central city, you’ll find that most Austrians understand English, and are willing, even happy, to speak in English. On the other hand, like most foreigners, they appreciate it if you try to use their language.

Should I take travelers’ checks?
You could, but I find that ATMs are the most convenient way to get money while abroad. They’re all over, and they give the best exchange rates. Before you leave, do check on a couple of things, however:

• your daily withdrawal limit.

• the charge that your particular credit/debit card assesses for use. Is the charge a flat rate per withdrawal (as mine is)? If so, you’ll be best off making fewer withdrawals, each a larger amount.

• your PIN number. The keypads of European ATMs only have numbers, so if your PIN for use in America includes letters, make sure you memorize it in a numbers-only format.

What will the weather be like in Austria during the Institute?
Over the years we’ve ranged from rather cool temperatures for most of the time (approximately highs in the 50's, lows in the mid-to-upper 40's), with people wishing for sweaters or jackets, to really hot weather (highs in the 80's to lower 90's). And our classroom is not air conditioned, and has only a couple of small windows, so it can get pretty hot. So...the best advice is to bring clothes that you can layer, and that can cover the ranges that I’ve outlined.

What kinds of clothes should I bring?
Most Austrians dress a little more conservatively than most Americans. In general, clothes that don’t have loud or flashy patterns or colors will be best. You’ll want to have one dress-up outfit, for going to concerts or the opera. Fewer people--both male and female–wear shorts in Austria than in America, though I usually bring one pair along in case it gets really hot.

Clothes that are wrinkle-free or wrinkle-resistant are best, of course. There is a laundry very near the Hotel, where one can leave clothes, and a laundromat not too far away. Try to avoid clothes that need dry-cleaning. It’s probably not wise to bring expensive jewelry.

My wife, Julane Rodgers, who’s one of the faculty members and librarian for our Institute, wrote the following:

Above all, BE COMFORTABLE! Bring comfortable walking shoes (for me that's joggers), because even with transportation passes, you'll be doing a lot more walking than you're used to; sandals, because it'll be hot; and one pair of dress shoes--still comfortable--for opera nights; slippers or shower clogs for the hotel. You won't see the natives wearing joggers, but for me, it's a necessity. They look terrible with skirts, so maybe a comfortable sandal.

In the Old City--the first district--people dress quite fashionably. You can always pick out the tourists by their garb. (I try to avoid falling into that category--they won't know I'm a tourist until I open my mouth!) For women, the bare-legged look is fine, capris and cropped pants are also worn. I think the Austrians opt for a skirt more often than we do.

The occasions to dress up are opera, concerts, church, and maybe an occasional dinner. For the State Opera, the audience does dress--black is the most fashionable color. Dick often wears a navy blazer (with tie) which is on the informal side–Austrian men never wear blazers. But travel practicalities... One can be a little less formal for the Volksoper. I attended an early music concert in a mansion last year and people were quite dressed up; church concerts, probably less so. Bring an old scarf to tie on the railing to reserve your place at the State Opera if you plan to go standing room--the price is right, but it's an investment of time.

Over the years we've experienced both hot weather and dreary, rainy weather. Bring clothes you can layer and be prepared for various temperatures. Umbrella, sunhat, sun lotion, sun glasses. I think you can get by with a jacket, rather than a full-length raincoat, but sometimes I have brought a crushable raincoat. I usually bring a cardigan, and can then layer it under a jacket (or light raincoat) if it really turns chilly. Of course, Vienna isn't the Third World, and you can go shopping for whatever you might need, but it may take you some time to locate the item, and it will probably cost more.

I have always felt more comfortable trying to blend in with the scene, not calling attention to myself by my clothes. Please don't wear the flag or display patriotic tee shirts or jewelry. It would not be appropriate at this time. I almost always carry valuables in a waist pack which I can't set down and leave somewhere; guide books etc. go in a shoulder tote; small purse for dress occasions. You probably won't find anyone trying to snatch your purse in Vienna.

Prague is another matter, still a “have/have-not” society. Not only the gypsies, but also the teen-agers, feel free to help themselves to whatever they can get their hands on and they can be quite brazen about doing so. Also there are likely to be throngs of tourists, and in the crush of a crowd, things can happen. I would suggest not wearing anything that even looks valuable; I try to look fairly ordinary there. The Prague sojourn is three days, so you'll want to take a small suitcase for that.

Be sure to bring enough meds, aspirin, band-aids for the duration. Please guard your health and avoid injury. The Univ. of Vienna has a fine Medical School and the Allgemeines Krankenhaus (general hospital) is not far from our hotel. But believe me, you don't want to have to get involved in medical care there. Have any questionable medical situations checked by the Dr. at home before you leave.

There are hair-dryers at the hotel. I take a small combination hair-dryer/iron. It's a lousy iron, but I've been known to iron on the corner of the bed--oops! I didn't say that! To plug in any appliance you'll need an adapter; and for American appliances, you'll also need the proper voltage converter.

Hours of opening for shops, restaurants: less than we're accustomed to. Nothing is open 24/7. Shops (incl. grocery stores) close on Sat. at least by noon, if not all day. Restaurants etc. usually have a "rest-day" during the week when they're not open at all. Except in the tourist precincts, it can be a little tricky to find restaurants open on Sundays. However, there's almost always a food concession of one sort or another open under the Schottenpoint subway station, and we'll pass through there a lot.

What about travel within Europe?
There’s a 3-day weekend built into the Institute schedule, and past participants have gone on a variety of short, day-long trips on such occasions. There’s a wonderful train and boat combination trip to Melk, to see the wonderful Baroque monastery and return floating down the Danube, or a day walking in the Vienna Woods, or a trip to Eisenstadt (where Haydn lived and worked), or to Bratislava. And other participants have taken longer trips–for example, to Budapest. But no matter where you plan to go, please remember that between June 12 and July 14 your primary responsibility is to the academic work of the Institute. You can be a full-time tourist before or after that.

What do you like about living in Vienna for a month?
The music that is everywhere is at the top of my list, of course. The opera and orchestral and chamber music, recitals and church music are the equal of anywhere in the world. But in addition, I love to walk the streets of Vienna more than many/most other European cities because the sense of tradition is so important. Many places pride themselves on being up-to-date, modern, and cutting-edge. Vienna has its modern sides, for example, art and architecture, but regard for its past is everywhere. And our Institute is in Vienna to study its historic past. Just across the street from our hotel, for example, is one of the Liechtenstein palaces and gardens. Talk about history in our own backyard!

I also love Viennese cooking and wine. One of my favorite institutions is the Heuriger–wine gardens outside the central city, on the edge of the Vienna Woods, where one can sit outside in beautiful gardens drinking wine that was made by the proprietor, and having a wonderful food buffet. And Viennese coffee houses are known world-wide. (I personally wish that there would be no Starbucks in Vienna....)