There are stories that ordinary people - like me - are not able to tell with words.
Other stories can be told, but you have to find those first words to start to bring out the experience wrapped into emotions. Sometimes they are just too strong and one has to let them rest.
This story that I am starting to tell you is one of those that provoked a lot of feelings in our family, but not just that. There is a slight fear that it is just a dream and upon waking up it goes away. It would easily vanish and what we would be left with then?
Just let me check whether I am dreaming now or I am communicating with you from reality.
Ouch!
{I have pinched myself to make sure I'm not dreaming}
I am awake.
My son is here too. He doesn't cease talking about the experience he intensively lived, and I as a parent too. I watched his excitement every single day during the whole week while he participated in a dreamy project that was brought to our reality from Germany.
The dream: bringing together students from 20 different music schools in Germany and making an orchestra that has intensive rehearsals (during one week) and concerts.
The reality: bringing together students from 20 different music schools in Germany and making an orchestra that has intensive rehearsals (during one week) and concerts + coming to Spain this autumn, and selecting a few students from Spain to mix cultures and languages, and make friendships.
That is how around 90 young musicians eagerly studied the repertory and cooperated with the director Alexander Ramm and other students. The rehearsals started on Sunday morning, October 22. Three hours of practising, a break for lunch and the afternoon was reserved for another 3-hour-long rehearsal. Monday - the same schedule. And Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday too.
The director was teaching and explaining in German, so you guess that the few students who joined from Spain had fun while trying to understand him. However, to make it easier, every Spanish student had a German colleague who was assigned to translate him/her into English what the director was saying.
The way of working was pretty strict and demanding, but between the rehearsals, they had snacks, did yoga, and tried to learn the language. Also, everything else that teenage people like to spend time on - Instagram 😂
The days passed quickly and the concert days arrived. The first concert was held on Friday, October 27 in Teulada Auditorium. It is a modern building, which stands out with its shape. It was evening and I took a photo only of the entrance:
Luckily, there was a booklet showing the building, so here it comes. It definitely can be better appreciated by looking at the pictures from the booklet. We can also read from here that it received some architectural awards in 2012 and 2013.
We arrived earlier, not to be late and to find a good place to see our son well. Of course, more people arrived at the concert but it was not a full house. My son said that their German colleagues found it strange. I am sure that the tradition of going to classical concerts in their country is much more nourished than in Spain.
The young musicians were still behind the curtains. There was a drama thing too, one oboe player got sick before the concert, and even an ambulance had to come attend to her. Those were emotional moments, the friends cried and were worried, and the director of the orchestra was very worried too. She was fine and came back from the hospital but of course, she didn't perform at the concert. She had to rest.
The program that this symphonic orchestra performed was serious. A high level of difficulty but that's why this whole project was so great - hardworking and talented students that made it possible to bring such a repertory to the stage. Let me write it down for you, as it was on the other side of this flyer.
Marc-Antoine Charpentier:
Te Deum - Prelude
Franz Schubert:
Rosamunde Overture
Edvard Grieg:
Three Orchestral Pieces Op.56 "Sigurd Jorsalfar"
Jean Sibelius:
Finlandia
Arturo Márquez:
Danzón No. 2
A Tribute to Henry Manchini - Calvin Custer arrangement
The second concert was held the next day, on Saturday, in Palau Altea. It is the theatre and concert hall of this town, and so many people came to the concert. I was excited to see almost a full house concert, and the young musicians were even more motivated to play well. Both concerts went very well, and I was so happy for their success.
I already knew what to expect the second day, but it made me focus even more and fully enjoy every passage and composition. I made some recordings and maybe I will share one of the compositions on Hive (when I compress the video).
But this story is just half done here... I was just the observer of this project through the experience that my son lived. But I could feel his joy and willingness to... (and here comes another part that I am a bit afraid to say it aloud as could be just a dream)... willingness to join this orchestra next time too.
The next project held by this orchestra will be in February 2024 - but in Germany! 🤓
Is it just a dream? (maybe I should pinch myself again 😁)
