Elisabeth Schuhbauer led the St. Martin Children's Choir in Kirchdorf for 21 years - with a lot of commitment and passion.
Now she has officially handed over the management to Melanie Schaller.
Kirchdorf
- Even before the children's choir was founded at a nativity celebration in 1999, Elisabeth Schuhbauer was active in the children's church service team.
The celebrations were gladly accompanied by instruments, she explains in an FT conversation, "and at some point we also started singing".
And the preschool and elementary school children enjoyed playing and singing at children's services, senior meetings and baptisms.
Whether rhythmic songs, old folk songs or Bavarian songs: the repertoire was diverse.
The initial casual meetings with five to six children eventually turned into regular rehearsals - initially in kindergarten, now in the community and finally in the parsonage.
On average there were seven to twelve children who came, says Schuhbauer.
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One thing was always important to Elisabeth Schuhbauer during both rehearsals and performances: mutual respect.
Her motto "Every child is important and nobody is laughed at" she explains.
Everyone stuck to it.
And so many beautiful appearances have emerged over the course of the 21 years.
The long-time choir director fondly remembers one performance: At a senior citizens' meeting a few years ago in the St. Anna youth center in Thalhausen, the children's choir sang the song “A hunter from Kurpfalz” - “and everyone cheered along,” says Schuhbauer.
“That was really nice - not only for the older people, but also for the children.” But all in all the choir had “many nice performances”.
Of course, she says, she could not have done the work alone over the years: In the first few years she was supported by Rita Hess, and in the past few years Kerstin Josten stood by her side.
The compulsory Corona break was now the right time for Elisabeth Schuhbauer to hand over the management to younger hands - even though it was a "really great time" and she was a bit sad.
Because: "It was always fun, and it was always a nice togetherness."
In the future Melanie Schaller will lead the children's choir.
Before that, however, Elisabeth Schuhbauer was officially bid farewell: As a token of gratitude and appreciation, Arsatius Regulator, deacon in the Allershausen parish, presented a wellness voucher and a certificate to the long-time director as part of a solemn prayer.