My first day at McGill was registration at the Currie gym. I was 16 and didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to do. I focused on Chemistry in my first year. In the following years, I attended courses in almost every department except gynaecology and graduated with a degree in English Literature. Professors who made a special impression on me included Prof. A.E. Grosser in Chemistry, Prof. Irwin Gopnik in English and Prof. Charles Taylor in Political Science.
But on the side, I had been playing violin in the McGill Orchestra and was eventually caught by the music bug. I switched to viola and earned another degree in the Faculty of Music, which had just moved from quirky buildings on Redpath to the Strathcona Music building.
Inspired by Professor Stephen Kondaks, I was drawn to chamber music, especially string quartet. I particularly remember playing Brahms' Piano Quintet in Redpath Hall. The audience was somewhat sparse due to an incredible snowfall. The following year, I had a number of memorable experiences playing in several concerts for the opening month of Pollack Hall.
Afterwards, I went to Germany and Austria for graduate studies. I began to play and tour with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic. Concert tours with various ensembles have taken me to 103 countries and provided me with countless memorable experiences. Particularly amazing stops on my lifelong musical journey include Bhutan, Tonga and Tristan da Cunha.
During my extensive travels and rich musical experiences, I've often thought back to my days at McGill with gratitude. I am now trying to invigorate the Vienna chapter of the McGill Alumni Association to provide a channel for McGill grads in Austria to share their experiences and make a modest contribution back to the University.