One Week in Salzburg

I know I will never be able to truly put into words my week in Salzburg, but I feel I must try and get something down.

I must try and get into text some of my thoughts and feelings of what was without doubt one of the most magnificent weeks of my life.

It began with a flight cancellation. Sitting in my hotel room terrified that I would not be able to make it across Europe. I had multiple legs, multiple forms of transport, and people to meet in Germany. After being put on an earlier flight, I was relieved, and after more travel mistakes, eventually made it to Klessheim, the main base of Roche Continents 2011.

After being treated to tray after tray of cocktails, beer and canapes I sat down and started meeting new people. Some were supremely intelligent researchers, others supremely talented musicians. I couldn’t quite believe I had got onto this program.

The next day involved a few talks, a bizarre drumming excercise, and a concert of Sciarino’s Macbeth. Whilst, as a lowly enigneering researcher, I was unable to fully appreciate the music and singing, I could really see the sheer talent of these people.

Saturday. Only one event needs mentioning. The Opera. Opening my ticket and seeing €225 really made me realise again how incredible this week was. We started with a champagne reception looking down on the Altstadt and over the Alps. We were the beautiful people, the people who you usually look up at but never quite get to. For this week we were Kings and Queens. The Opera itself was superb- and I’m running out of superlatives. I loved the use of staging, and the vast space in the Felsenreitschule. I vaguely knew the plot of Macbeth- or the Scottish Play, and this opera I felt told it well. One thing I esepcially enjoyed was the use of the chorus for the witches voices- the witches did not sing.

On Monday, we had a free day, in the afternoon I choose to go to Eieriesenwelt, it was cold and wet climbing up, cold and damp inside, and colder and wetter walking down. I am so glad I did this. The natural architecture of this the largest ice cave was- well I can describe it. This week was supposed to be about the interaction of art and science, and the caves can be seen in two ways, as a scientific monument, and fascinating look in to the geography and geology of the Alps, or as an insight into the magic and poetry and reality, we can see the caves as science or art, or, both.

We had a team project, which worked well I think. Our brief- be creative- was perhaps the broadest I’ve ever had. I won’t mention it further, but I’m making a video of it, which should be ready soon enough.

I mustn’t write anymore without talking about the people and the purpose of this week. I have met some really amazing people from over 30 different countries. These are friends I hope to stay in touch with for a long time. I won’t mention any names, but all the people I met made this week. It wouldn’t have been the same without them.

The purpose of this week was to explore the connection of creativity and innovation in arts and the sciences, and 7 days in Austria have made me realise we have a lot in common. I look forward to using what I have learnt in the future.

I’ve called this post One Week in Salzburg. Because that is what it was. Just one week. We go straight back in to our lives and jobs, with the same people and routines. I’m still coming down from my one week in Salzburg, but I hope never to fully come down, this week has changed me. To everyone who made it what it was, thank you.