Today, Fulbright Austria is hosting its annual SummerFest to kick off a year of celebrating Fulbright Austria's 75th anniversary. For the event, we created a special video installation featuring excerpts from interviews with alums of Fulbright Austria's programs for US and Austrian students, scholars, and teaching assistants and an audio installation showcasing music from two members of our community. We know not everyone can join us at the event, so we hope that by sharing the video and audio installations with you here, you'll be able to join our festivities in spirit. We look forward to enjoying a year full of celebrations with you!
75th anniversary: Video and audio installations at the 2025 SummerFest
5 June 2025Watch and listen to the installations created for our 2025 SummerFest, the kickoff event to a year full of 75th-anniversary festivities!
Video installation
Each except in this video was taken from interviews done with members of the Fulbright Austria community. Please note that this video does not have audio, only subtitles. To experience the video similar to how our SummerFest attendees experience it, we encourage you to listen to the music from the audio installation.
If you enjoy the excerpts, you can also watch each interview in full.
- Interview with 2018–19 Austrian Fulbright scholar Roberta Maierhofer
- Interview with 2020–21 US Fulbright scholar Bill Keeton
- Interview with 2019–20 Austrian Fulbright student Berit Gwendolyn Gilma
- Interview with 2024–25 US Fulbright student Joseph Puthumana
- Interview with 2024–25 Austrian Fulbright FLTA Sophie Reitspies
- Interview with 2023–24 US teaching assistant Kaj Johnson
- Interview with 2022–23 Austrian Fulbright scholar Mario Rothbauer
- Interview with 2013–14 US Fulbright scholar Pamela Cooper-White
- Interview with 1980–81 Austrian Fulbright student Manoutchehr Eskandari-Qajar
- Interview with 2013–14 US Fulbright combined grantee Caitlin Gura
- Interview with 2023–24 Austrian Fulbright FLTA David Lautner
- Interview with 2023–25 US teaching assistant Rory Ball
We would also like to thank 2022–23 Austrian Fulbright FLTA Valerie Böckel and 2018–19 US Fulbright scholar Katherine Hertlein—both members of the 2025 Fulbright Austria Alum Advisory Panel—for creating the intro to this video installation.
Echoes of Fulbright: A sound installation
Echoes of Fulbright is a curated sound installation celebrating the musical talents of a Fulbright Austria alum and a Fulbright Belgium alum who is a member of the Fulbright Austria community. As part of our 75th-anniversary celebrations, this installation brings together two unique musical perspectives that embody the creative spirit and international dialogue central to the Fulbright experience.
We invite you to explore the full playlists below and learn more about the artists whose works create the immersive atmosphere of this installation.
First featured artist: Chaz Underriner
Album:Moving
Label: Deadland Records
Format: CD / Digital
Download and listen on Deadland Records
About the album
Moving is a meditative exploration of landscape, memory, and sound. Blending pedal steel guitar, chamber ensemble, organ, electronics, and field recordings from the American South, the album reflects long travels across Florida and Louisiana—especially the Atchafalaya Basin, one of the largest wetlands in the US.
This ambient, layered work creates a vivid soundscape that evokes the passage of time and water as well as the blending of natural and human histories.
Tracklist
- Color Study
- Swamp
- Zimbelstern
- Moving for Modelo
All tracks composed, performed, and mixed by Chaz Underriner.
About the artist
Chaz Underriner, a 2021–22 US Fulbright scholar, is a composer, transmedia artist, and performer whose work blends video, audio, and live performance. His compositions have been described as “quietly radiant” (The Wire) and “beautifully introspective” (Squidco), often reflecting landscapes and layered narratives. He is currently based in DeLand, Florida.
Second featured artist: Nathalie Matthys
Playlist curated by Nathalie Matthys
Format: Digital (YouTube Playlist)
Listen on YouTube
About the playlist
Pianist, vocalist, composer, Fulbright Belgium alum, and Fulbright Austria donor Nathalie Matthys generously contributed to this installation by curating and sharing a personal selection of recordings. Her playlist spans jazz standards, classical gems, and original works—many of which were recorded in collaboration with family, mentors, and fellow artists.
This collection reflects not only her talent and musical journey but also her enduring commitment to Fulbright Austria’s mission. Through her support and artistry, she helps amplify the impact of cultural exchange through music.
Tracklist
5. Three Preludes (1926) – George Gershwin | Piano: Nathalie Matthys
6. Ballad in Memory of Shirley Horn (2005) – Richard Rodney Bennett | Clarinet: Josef Lamell, Piano: Nathalie Matthys
7. Where Do You Start (1988) – Johnny Mandel | Vocals: Nathalie, Piano: Marc Matthys
8. Elusive (2006) – Scott Matthews | Vocals: Nathalie, Keys: Ilias Verbelen
9. Sad Waltz (1996) – Marc Matthys | Ensemble performance under Dirk Brossé
10. Illusion (unknown) – Marc Matthys | Vocals & Piano: Nathalie Matthys
11. Save Your Love for Me (1955) – Benny Johnson | Vocals: Nathalie, Piano: Yuki Futami
12. Songs My Mother Taught Me (1895) – Charles Ives | Clarinet: Josef Lamell, Piano: Nathalie
13. Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise (1928) – Sigmund Romberg | Ensemble arrangement feat. Nathalie (vocals) and Josef Lamell (clarinet)
14. Étude, Op. 2 No. 1 (1887) – Alexander Scriabin | Piano: Nathalie
15. Picture Frame (2020) – Nathalie Matthys | Vocals & Piano: Nathalie
16. Ne me quitte pas (1959) – Jacques Brel (arr. 2023) | Clarinet: Josef Lamell, Vocals & Piano: Nathalie
17. It Ain’t Necessarily So (1925) – George Gershwin (arr. Heifetz/Lamell) | Clarinet: Josef Lamell, Piano: Nathalie
About the artist
Nathalie Matthys is a Belgian-American pianist, jazz singer, composer—and a proud Fulbright Austria donor. Classically trained but with a love for jazz and original storytelling, Nathalie moves easily between genres and styles. Whether she’s performing solo, singing with a band, or playing in an intimate chamber setting, her goal is simple: to bring people together through music.
She’s also one half of Duo Lamell-Matthys, a clarinet-piano duo she founded with American clarinetist Josef Lamell. Together, they create thoughtful, genre-blending performances that are as heartfelt as they are refined.
Beyond the stage, Nathalie shares her passion for music through teaching. She works with students in her own NMusician Studio, offering lessons in classical piano, jazz vocals, or a mix of both—always tailored to the student.
Several of the pieces in this sound installation were made available thanks to Nathalie’s generosity as a donor and her ongoing support of Fulbright Austria’s mission. Her selections reflect both her musical journey and her commitment to meaningful cultural exchange. From a touching father-daughter duet to reimagined jazz standards, each piece carries a personal story—and an invitation to listen more closely.
