Presentation of the "YES! Young Europe Sings" results

Here are how Eleni Ioannidou presents the experience of the Erasmus+ Projekt "YES! Young Europe Sings" wich ended in February 2025.

Personal testimony over YES  - why project was unique and sucsesful from your point of view.

There are three elements that give us hope for a brighter and better future in these difficult times that Europe and the world are currently going through: the solidarity between European actors such as politicians, voluntary workers and artists, the young generation and the reflection on our rich cultural heritage. Firstly, in times of division, social tensions and wars, cultural actors offer resistance through European cooperation programmes: we travel across borders, we enjoy exchanging ideas, resolving our possible differences peacefully, we solve our problems together and enjoy life in an evening of beautiful music and human togetherness. Secondly, the youth of the European Union are a beacon of hope: not only their knowledge and high artistic level never cease to amaze us, but their openness to new ideas and to peace, their humanism and smile touch us again and make us rejoice for the future of Europe. And thirdly, in dark times, the bright spirits of the past and the history of Europe offer us solutions and guidance for the future. The project “YES!Young Europe Sings” gave me and my society the opportunity to understand these facts and to continue to get involved for the culture and the future of Europe with new strength. I was able to meet and work with outstanding artists and actors from other countries and together create something excellent and constructive. We were able to invite the younger generation to join in this plan and often found ourselves learning and being inspired by them. And in the end, all of us - actors, artists, teachers and young people - were able to immerse ourselves in the heritage of the continent: in poetry and music, both so closely linked to the history of Europe, where we learned and gained new strength for our future work.

The European idea is our anchor. I would like to thank my colleagues, the young students of the Academy and the European Union from the bottom of my heart for supporting this very important project and enriching us with this experience.

List and presentations of activities / workshops and only names of mentors, what objectives, methods…

Locations, Partners and Topic

The second module of the project took place in Görlitz-Zgorzelec between January 11 and 17, 2024. The title for the one-week academy was "Culture of Remembrance and German Romanticism". As an association based in Germany, it was impossible not to include German Romanticism in this course. Above all, Robert Schumann, a composer who was born and active in Saxony, clearly became the center of this module. On the other hand, one could not ignore the difficult historical background of Germany, as it was here that so many brilliant composers were persecuted or even murdered during the Third Reich. The Second World War left its mark in the heart of the city of Görlitz-Zgorzelec and therefore this city serves as a good place to cultivate the culture of remembrance. The European city of Görlitz-Zgorzelec has been divided into two cities by the Europa Bridge since the Second World War. The eastern part now belongs to Poland and the western part to Germany. As in all our projects, we tend to see the city as one and share our cultural activities on both sides. Not far from Zgorzelec is the former prisoner of war camp STALLAG VIIIA: today the “European Centre for Remembrance, Education and Culture” operates here, a memorial and meeting place especially for young people. Once a year, on January 15th, the “Quartet for the End of Time” by Olivier Messiaen is played here, the French composer who composed this work here as a prisoner of war and who played it for the first time in January 1941 in a tent with other prisoners of war during a cold winter. It was important to us to visit this place with young people and to hear the quartet on January 15th. Our cooperation with another Görlitz association helped us to do this: “Meetingpoint Memory Messiaen e.V.” allowed us to visit the museum and the concert for free. Another very important partner in this module was the “Adam Hiller Music School”, to whose director Mr. Thomas Stapel we are particularly grateful. The large building at the Fischmarkt square in Görlitz's old town not only provided the rooms for a large part of the lessons and group activities, but also very well-equipped music rooms where the musicians could practice.

The other places we used for this module, and thus showed the beauty and historicity of our city to the young musicians and our colleagues and lecturers: the “Barockhaus” museum and its Johannes Wüsten Hall, where the lecturers’ lessons and concert took place, the Miejski Dom Kultury on the Polish side of the city, where the students’ final concert took place and, above all, the headquarters of our association, the apartment on Augustastrasse 6, where we held many group activities such as the International Evening and the pre-dinner concerts of the students. The apartment is located in the Gründerzeit quarter and has a beautiful historical character: making music in our cultural salon was reminiscent of the salon evenings of the Romantic period.

In these places we were able to deal with the songs of the Romantic era (especially Robert Schumann) and the songs of Jewish composers, the theme was “persecuted, ostracized, forbidden”. The young musicians brought songs by Gustav Mahler, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Victor Ullmann and Norbert Glanzberg to their repertoire.

We promoted these activities in the local press of both cities, such as Sächsische Zeitung and Zgorzelec Info, our Newsletter and Social Media.

Lecturers and teachers

In addition to the three co-organizers, lead singer and pianist Eleni Ioannidou, Juliette de Massy and Nejc Lavrenčič, the lecturers Doriana Tchakarova (pianist) and Thilo Dahlmann (baritone) taught art song interpretation. The two luminaries of song singing in Germany are not only sought-after concert musicians but also lecturers at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts. In addition to these five lecturers, other lecturers were also on hand for further courses: Lauren Leidermann gave an online course on the topic of “History of Jewish Music”, Marko Ovcirk on the topic of  “Preparing individual projects” and Heinz Müller and Eleni Ioannidou on the topic of “Home recording and self-management”. The lecturers also gave a course: Nejc Lavrencic gave an online course on “Myrthen by Robert Schumann” and a group session “Hidden potential of music” and Thilo Dahlmann led a discussion on “Songs by Jewish composers”.

Participants

Lara Rieken and Max Hampl, Germany

Hannes Nedele and Dani Zhogovska, Germany

Virgile Pellerin and Manon Minvielle-Debat, France

Jared Andrew Michaud and Christina Koti, France

Parvati Maeder and Camille Thoorens, France

Rebeka Pregelj and Ana Maria Beguš, Slovenia

Domen Vurnik and Ana Rodić, Slovenia

Sara Lešnik and Ivana Tripković, Slovenia

Lovro Korošec and Barbara Verhovnik, Slovenia

Activities

Before we met in Görlitz, the two courses with Lauren Leidermann (Jewish music) and Nejc Lavrenčič (Myrthen) took place online. This way we could prepare for the topic of the module. On January 11th we all met in Görlitz, in the “Via's” accommodation, which was also the place where we ate together and carried out our final evaluation. This place not only has beautiful apartments where lecturers and students lived together, but also a large kitchen where we cooked and ate all together. In order to experience the regional cuisine and an alternative, sustainable culture of eating, we invited the cook Ela from Weisswasser. She prepared local dishes from the German and Polish cuisine in a vegetarian version using healthy ingredients. From January 12th to 16th, the music school and the Baroque House hosted lessons and group activities such as warm-up (with Juliette de Massy) and “hidden potential of music” with Nejc Lavrenčič.

The pre-dinner concerts took place in the Augusta Cultural Salon. The International Evening also took place there on January 12th. Each of the participants brought a dish or speciality from their country and explained its history and what exactly it was. The participants then enjoyed an evening with these international dishes, they met together in a party and at the end they played music together like in a “Schubertiada”. We then all sang polyphonic songs together in choir such as the “Abendlied” by Joseph Rheinberger, Brahms and a Slovenian song.

On January 15th we visited STALLAG VIII A in the evening, we looked at the museum and listened to the “Quartet for the End of Time” by Olivier Messiaen together with a mixed Polish-German audience.

The program of the module was as follows:

January 11th

Arrival of the participants, distribution of tasks and walk through Görlitz

January 12th

Warming up, lessons with Thilo Dahlmann and Doriana Tchakarova in the Baroque House and Adam Hiller Music School, pre-dinner concert in the Augusta Cultural Salon and then international evening.

January 13th

Group activity “Hidden potential of music” with Nejc Lavrenčič, lessons with Eleni Ioannidou, Nejc Lavrenčič and Juliette de Massy in the Music School and the Baroque House.

In the evening, a song recital with the lecturers Thilo Dahlmann and Doriana Tchakarova in the Johannes-Wüsten-Hall in the Barockhaus (Schubert's “Winterreise”)

14 January

Discussion with all participants and Thilo Dahlmann “Jewish composers - historical and cultural context” in the music school. Lessons with Thilo Dahlmann and Doriana Tchakarova. In the evening, a pre-dinner concert in the Augusta cultural salon

15 January

Group activity “Preparing individual projects” with Marko Ocvirk and Nejc Lavrenčič in the music school. Lessons with Thilo Dahlmann and Doriana Tchakarova in the music school. Group lessons “Home recording and self-management” with Eleni Ioannidou and Heinz Müller in the Augusta Cultural Salon.

Visit to STALLAG VIII A and the concert “Quartet for the End of Time” by Messiaen at 7 p.m.

16 January

Group activity (warming up) with Juliette de Massy in the Music School

Teaching with Eleni Ioannidou, Nejc Lavrenčič and Juliette de Macy in the Music School.

Preparations and rehearsals for the final concert.

Final concert of the participants in Miejski Dom Kultury in Zgorzelec

Evaluation of the module and discussion of the results in Via's.

17 January

Breakfast and departure of the participants.

Public presentations and performances

January 13th at 6:00 p.m.

Johannes-Wüsten-Saal in Görlitz

Franz Schubert: “Winterreise”

with Thilo Dahlmann (bass-baritone) and Doriana Tchakarova (piano)

The two lecturers presented the entire cycle to an audience of all participants of the academy and around 50 guests from Görlitz. The concert was filmed and made available on the channel of the project and our association.

January 15th, 2024, at 7:00 p.m

STALLAG VIIIA in Zgorzelec

Quatuor pour la fin du temps (1941) by Olivier Messiaen

“Après, le Silence” (2022) by Dahae Boo“Stalag VIII A” (2018) by Tristan Murail

Ensemble Écoute (France)

January 16th, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

Miejski Dom Kultury in Zgorzelec

Final concert of the participants of the Erasmus+ Academy YES!

Programm

Hannes Nedele and Dani Zhogovska, Germany

• Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

from “Liederkreis Op. 24”

1. Morgens steh ich auf und frage (Heine)

2. Es treibt mich hin (Heine)

• Norbert Glanzberg (1910-2001)

From “Holocaust-Lieder” (Johanna Kirchner)

1. Im Gefängnis

4. Alter Baum

Parvati Maeder and Camille Thoorens, France

• Robert Schumann

From “Myrthen Op. 25”: “Du bist wie eine Blume” (Heine)

From “Liederkreis Op.39”: “Frühlingsnacht” (Eichendorff)

• Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957)

From “Fünf Lieder Op. 38“: “My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun” (Shakespeare)

Domen Vurnik and Ana Rodić, Slovenia

• Robert Schumann

From “Myrthen, Op. 25”: “Der Nußbaum ” (Julius Mosen)

From “Liederkreis, Op. 39”: “Intermezzo” (Eichendorff)

• Erich Wolfgang Korngold

From “Drei Lieder, Op. 22”: “Was Du mir bist” (Eleonore

von der Straaten)

Lovro Korošec and Barbara Verhovnik, Slovenia

• Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

From “Kindertotenlieder” (Rückert)

1. Nun will die Sonn' so hell aufgeh'n!

4. Oft denk' ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen!

Sara Lešnik and Ivana Tripković, Slovenia

• B. Lang

Monadologie XXXII

The Cold trip, part 2: Mail, The Crow, Burgher’s dreams,

Deviant

Hannes Nedele and Max Hampl, Germany

• Robert Schumann

From „Myrthen Op. 25"

5. Sitz’ ich allein

6. Setze mir nicht

(From “Schenkenbuch im Divan” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

Virgile Pellerin and Manon Minvielle-Debat, France

• Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944)

From “Liederbuch des Hafis Op. 30”: “Betrunken” (Hans Bethge nach Hafis)

• Robert Schumann

From “Myrthen Op.25”: “Aus den hebräische Gesängen”

(Karl Julius Körner nach Lord Byron)

• Erich Wolfgang Korngold

From “Fünf Lieder Op. 38”: “Ich wünsche dir Glück” (Richard

Dehmel)

Jared Andrew Michaud and Christina Koti, France

• Robert Schumann

From “Liederkreis Op.39”

3. Waldesgespräch (Eichendorff)

• Erich Wolfgang Korngold

From “Sechs Einfache Lieder Op.9”

4. Liebesbriefchen (Elisabeth Honold)

• Robert Schumann

From “Dichterliebe” Op. 48

6. Ich grolle nicht (Heinrich Heine)

Results and special features of the module

In this module we perfectly managed to bridge the historical song of the Romantic era with the Jewish music of the 20th century and thus immerse ourselves in the history of the German-speaking cultural area. However, the group activities were what all participants remembered most. We held the pre-dinner concerts in the homely atmosphere of the Augusta Cultural Salon. The musicians felt at home and the direct contact with colleagues and lecturers as listeners overcame the barrier between audience and artists. The group felt like a family of artists. Thus, the international evening with the preparation of the dishes and specialties of all participants was a highlight of this module. The musicians overcame the boundary between musician and person, met each other beyond any barrier, were able to get to know each other better over a very delicious dinner and relaxed atmosphere. But music could not be missing from this “Schubertiada”. Musicians spontaneously sat down at the piano and began to sing and play, dance and perform very creatively. At the end we all sang polyphonic songs together, such as the song “Abendlied” by Joseph Rheinberger, one of the most touching moments of the evening. At the end of the evening we received the comment from a young participant “that was the best party of my life”.

Benefits for the association - perspectives

For Ars Augusta, this experience was the first European project carried out with more than one partner from distant European countries. It was also the first project with other two equal associations, pursuing similar goals as us. This allowed us to expand our experience on a very high level of cooperation in an area that is very important for our work: the promotion of young talent and the cultivation of art song culture. We were able to cooperate with outstanding artists from Slovenia and France, which certainly opened up further cooperation in the future.

By organizing a multi-day academy in our city for so many artists under the leadership and cooperation of our partners and especially the leader of the project Per Artem and Marko Ovcirk, we were able to gain very important experience as hosts of residencies for artists. Marko Ovcirk and Nejc Lavrenčič visited Görlitz in November 2023, and together we had an overview of all the places, halls, hostels and restaurants in the city to evaluate the possibilities of each place. Marko Ovcirk's instinct played a decisive role in selecting the best locations and thus ensuring that all participants felt very good in Görlitz. This is how we discovered the "Via's" residence and decided to always accommodate our artists there for future projects. The beauty, style and comfort of the apartments and the proximity to our association´s headquarters, where most of the rehearsals and recordings of our projects take place, makes it a perfect residency for artists from our projects. Together with our apartment and a guest flat on Hartmannstrasse, we applied for the "Culture Moves Europe" program with the "Rediscovering Hammerschmidt" project in 2024 and were able to convince the European Union. We have been selected as a "Residency Host" for 2025 and will invite 5 musicians to Görlitz for three weeks in March 2025 to study vocal music by Andreas Hammerschmidt.

But we also have advantages for another very important project of the association, the International Lied Competition "Bolko von Hochberg". Some musicians from the academy took part in our competition, so we were able to get to know them in this international context as well. Last but not least, we hired one artist, the pianist Christina Maria Koti, for another project of our association. At the international evening we saw that the pianist is also a ballet dancer. That gave us the idea of ​​hiring her for our project “Wanderer”, a ballet piece in which she not only played the piano but also danced. The project was sponsored by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media and the Office for Education, Culture and Sport of the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald as part of the Casper David Friedrich anniversary.

Görlitz, December 2024