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Tölzer Boys Choir fears for concerts

2020-03-31T15:12:55.093Z


The Tölz Boys' Choir tries to counter the corona crisis with creative ideas. However, managing director Barbara Schmidt-Gaden is worried about how things will go in the cultural sector.


The Tölz Boys' Choir tries to counter the corona crisis with creative ideas. However, managing director Barbara Schmidt-Gaden is worried about how things will go in the cultural sector.

Munich / Bad Tölz – Usually dozens of voices are heard in the studios of the Tölz Boys' Choir in Munich. At the moment, however, you only hear one voice at a time, and it mostly sings the same thing. Managing director Barbara Schmidt-Gaden calls the "ghost lesson" with a grin the fact that lessons are currently being offered via Skype. That means: Each of the approximately 200 children is currently taking solo lessons, either with the artistic directors Christian Fliegner and Clemens Haudum or with one of the eight voice trainers. Every boy has a schedule when it is his turn: the older ones sing 60 minutes, the younger children 30 minutes. The teacher sits at the piano and has the child in front of him on a tablet screen.

This way of working has advantages and disadvantages, says Schmidt-Gaden. It is positive that the children have to sing a cappella. "This is very good training for the pitches." However, the sound quality is not so good and there are occasional delays in the transmission. And, of course, it takes presence to fine-tune the voice. "An hour of skyping doesn't replace the right contact," says the managing director. On the other hand, the children would now have a lot of time to practice and to study the repertoire. “You can also see how it is good for them. We also hear that from the parents. "

The choir wants to be prepared when the cultural scene comes back to life. All performances have been canceled until mid-April, but there are big concerts in the calendar for summer, for example the 8th symphony by Gustav Mahler in June and the "Arche" performances in the Philharmonie in Munich. "We all hope it will take place."

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The children were very disappointed that the Corona pandemic had to cancel some special performances, such as the concert in the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg (we reported) and the “Alcina” performances in Dresden. "Of course, the performances should be rescheduled," says Schmidt-Gaden. But that would take at least a year in the Elbphilharmonie. "And then not everyone can be there anymore, because they are already in the voice break."

The managing director is also worried financially. “We are like many other companies. We calculate every day how long we can survive without taking state aid. ”And it also has to be clarified how it works - with a grant, compensation for failures or even loans. 15 permanent employees and two freelancers work for the Tölzer Boys Choir. "Like many others, we hope that social life will get going again after the Easter holidays."

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Schmidt-Gaden is delighted that a tour of China, which was negotiated for April 2020 at the end of last year, did not materialize. In May there would actually be a festival in Romania. "I do not have any information as to whether it will take place." However, there are firm plans for the 2021 Boys Choir Festival in Tölz. "We will change a lot in the process," announced Schmidt-Gaden. "It should be more colorful."

In the boys choir office in Munich, the managing director is currently using the days to catalog and digitize the sheet music archive. "I've wanted that for a long time," she says, and is happy to discover handwritten notes from Kurt Thomas' and even sheet music from Carl Orff.

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In addition, a children's song is offered daily on the Facebook page or on the YouTube channel. Children, parents and grandparents can sing along on the CD, the text is just below. Several songs are already online, there should be 44. “This is meant for everyone to sing along or to listen to for nostalgic reasons,” says Schmidt-Gaden with a smile. The mezzo-soprano says that singing creates an inner strength. "After that, you are just in a positive mood," she says. "Actually, every household should sing every day."

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Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-03-31

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