2018: Spain Study Tour

August 22, 2018

One of the capstone experiences of ISM student life is our biennial study trip, which took us this year to Toledo, Burgos, and Madrid. In addition, there were two optional “extension tours”: one for those interested in arts and architecture, who traveled to Seville, Córdoba, and Granada; and another for organists that took them to Salamanca, Rueda, Tordesillas, and San Sebastián.

The benefit of these trips to our students and faculty lies only partly in the actual travel experience. The study tour’s lessons are first explored throughout the previous year in the ISM Colloquium, in classes, in concerts, and in a host of other program-related experiences.

This year Yale Schola Cantorum also toured Spain, performing Joby Talbott’s “Path of Miracles” – an hourlong a cappella exploration of the Camino de Santiago, the ancient Catholic pilgrimage route across northern Spain to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela – in Madrid, Roncesvalles, Burgos, León, and last, but most certainly not least, in Santiago itself.

Again this year we have asked students in various disciplines to reflect on what was important to them. As their reflections demonstrate, no encounter with sacred objects, sounds, and rites can be encompassed fully in a single viewpoint. All of these authors drew different conclusions from their shared experience, providing a fascinating glimpse into the interdisciplinary enterprise and the diversity of perspectives within the ISM.

- Martin Jean, director

Student Tour Reflections

Compiled and edited by Abigail Storch (M.A.R. religion and literature ‘18)

Study Tour

Janet Yieh (M.M.A. organ ‘18) 

Laura Worden (M.A.R. religion and visual arts 18)

Sarah Rodeo (M.A.R. liturgical studies ‘19) 

Sarah Fox (M.A.R. religion and music ‘19)   

Organ Excusion

David Simon (D.M.A. organ ‘23)

Art and Architecture Excursion

Hannah Sachs (M.Div ‘20)

Sally Hansen (M.A.R. religion and literature ‘18)

Schola Tour

Ashley Mulcahey (M.M. voice ‘19)

Margaret Burk (M.M. choral conducting ‘19)