Halberstadt

Yesterday I visited a small town just northwest of Quedlinburg and it was somewhat of a life changing experience for me. Most of this trip I have just been following the crowd. Literally. We travel in groups and follow the next thing that is on the agenda, and we really don't know where we are ever headed, we just know we are going. Yesterday was one of my greatest followings yet.
Halberstadt is a small town that was part of East Germany so the historical side of this place was unreal. The man that was showing us the town showed us specifically where the jews lived, and where there were walls of segretation built up, and even a street named Judenstrasse(Jewish street). It was so fascinating to see, and most of this town was bombed during the war, but there are still remains, and it really tugs at your heart.
We had a concert planned in the Dom in Halberstadt at 5pm. This Dom(Cathedral) is humongous and incredibly beautiful. Most of our concerts have been small, but with incredibly receptive audiences. We rehearsed for a while, and finally walked out onto the area where we were to sing, and there were about a 100 Germans waiting for our concert to begin. I was shocked! They were standing in the back! Now, it is not the quantity of an audience, it really is the quality, but they were all so anxious to hear the music. The music. They probably had no idea where Texas Tech was, or what American teens looked like, or what all of our English pieces meant. They were there because they had an opportunity to hear beautiful music in a sacred place. It was so captivating. I was completely overwhelmed and saw again why I love what I do. I could have no idea who you are, not speak your language, or ever see you again, but I still can share my music with you despite all of those things.
Many people see Classical music as boring, and often as a dying artform. Yesterday I saw it as a living being that took me by my hand and walked me through new possibilites and a new look on life.
This is a conversation I have often....
What is your major?
Vocal Performance
Oh, what do you want to do with that?
Sing
Oh...(and proceed to get the, well that's nice, it's never gonna happen, you're a fool, do something that can pay the bills look)
I don't care. I do care. But I love music. I love how it makes me feel, I love how it brings people of all ages, races, places, etc. together. I love how certain songs remind me of certain times in my life, certain people, or certain emotions that I have.

The man touring us around Halberstadt said to us in his broken English...
I am not a musician, I am only a lover of music. I cried.