The Princeton Music Department is excited to announce the launch of Princeton in Leipzig, a summer study abroad program organized in conjunction with the Princeton German Department. Students selected to participate in the program will engage with Leipzig’s rich musical heritage through seminars taught by Professor Wendy Heller and coachings provided by Dr. Ruth Ochs. To promote cultural immersion in Leipzig, language learning will be an integral part of the curriculum. Students will participate in an accelerated German language program through interDaF, which will include daily German lessons every weekday morning for four weeks and will be supplemented by one-on-one tutorials with Dr. Jamie Rankin. Running from June 2 to June 27, 2025, the program will culminate in a public recital held in the historic Alte Böse, the oldest Baroque building in the city.
Life in Leipzig will offer students an unquestionably unique and one-of-a-kind opportunity to study German and experience a wide selection of J.S. Bach’s music in the churches and city where he worked and thrived. The program will overlap with Bachfest Leipzig (June 12-22, 2025), an annual music festival that brings together musicians and Bach scholars from around the world. Students will also have opportunities to visit the Bach Museum and the Bach Archive, as well as the Mendelssohn House and Schumann House, which honor the legacy of Clara Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn and their connection to the city. Guided visits to various sites associated with the 1989 “peaceful revolution” will also provide an intimate look at Leipzig’s role in facilitating the fall of the wall between East and West Germany, supplementing the program’s cultural immersion in music with emphasis on the city’s important political history.
All three faculty members have been heavily invested in developing this new opportunity for Princeton students. Dr. Ruth Ochs voices great excitement for the program’s launch, reminiscing on her own study abroad experience in Germany:
I studied German as an undergrad. It was only when I spent time in Berlin, going to concerts, visiting museums, and being surrounded by the language, that German really clicked for me… Through Princeton in Leipzig, I am excited to cultivate strong bonds with the students, make and share music together, and create a really immersive experience in the culture. As musicians, we will pool our talents and share a recital program during the final week in the heart of the city. When I visited last June, I spent a few days at the festival. It was great, yet there was one thing missing: Princeton students!
Princeton in Leipzig is generously supported by the 250th Anniversary Fund for Innovation in Undergraduate Education.
Program Details
The program will run from June 2 to June 27, 2025, inclusive of arrival and departure dates.
Course Description
GER 233G / MUS 233G The Music and Culture of J.S. Bach in Context
Two Music Department faculty members oversee this component of the program. Professor Wendy Heller will provide two afternoon seminars weekly on musical background and history during the first three weeks of the month, and Dr. Ruch Ochs will offer coaching and mentoring for the student musicians during weeks 2–4 of the program, culminating in a student performance in the Alte Börse.
Prerequisite
To participate, students must complete at least one course in Princeton’s German language sequence at the 100 level or provide evidence of demonstrated proficiency in German.
Application Timeline & Financial Aid
Applications to the program will close at midnight on January 19, 2025. Students should apply through the Global Program System (GSP). Program costs and tuition amount to $5,120, which includes all instructional costs, course books, housing, selected activities, and other cultural excursions. These charges do not include airfare, board/meals, nor day-to-day personal expenses. Students who wish to apply for financial aid may do so through the Dean’s Fund, and must submit an application in Student Activity Funding Engine (SAFE) before January 19, 2025.
Notifications of acceptance will be sent out on January 31, 2025, and the deadline to accept an offer is February 7, 2025.
For more information, students may read more about the program on the Princeton German Department site or contact .
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