New for Spring Summer 2019

The orchestra had their first rehearsal at a new location and with a new conductor on Monday, 4th Feburary. After a lot of searching, the Einstein Kulturzentrum in Haidhausen were able to offer us a fabulous rehearsal space for our Monday evening rehearsals. Johanna Malangré, our new conductor, put the musicians through their paces with the Hebrides Overture, Gli Aranci Olezzano from Cavallaria Rusticana, and Gershwin’s Summertime, which they will perform together with the Singers and some of the Big Band musicians.

The Singers met up a week earlier and were introduced to Linda Oppermann, their new conductor for the Spring Summer season. Having had to leave our former rehearsal venue, the Singers join the Big Band at the KreativGarage, Ackermannbogen, where they are slightly squished in – but at least they have a space to rehearse (and get to know each other better!). The local pizza parlour proved a popular after-rehearsal location and we are sure will be well frequented this season!

The Big Band already started rehearsing in January, the only ensemble this year with no change in rehearsal location and still with their former-member conductor, Davy Kazan. With further jazz vocal ensemble pieces being added to their repertoire, the Big Band are preparing for performances at many venues throughout the Summer – we will keep you posted!

ESME Spring Weekend Away 10th-12th May 2019

Once again, the Singers and Orchestra will be headed off to Bad Schüssenried to have a weekend of rehearsing and socializing.

2019 Concerts for your calendar

Sunday, May 19, Einstein Kultur – our annual Showcase highlighting smaller ensembles

Saturday, June 29, Kulturzentrum Trudering – our annual Summer Concert, our first time in this venue

 

The Munich Summer Ball, which was hosted in July by ESME e.V. and organised by members of our Resident Alien Big Band, raised over EUR 700 for for “Musik schafft Heimat”, a project instigated by the Bayerische Philharmonie within the major initiative “Integration und Toleranz“ of the Wertebündnis Bayern to help integrate refugees into their new home in Munich through the universal language of music.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of watching some of these groups perform at the Bayerische Philharmonie’s open day in Munich Pasing.

The male singers were all wearing T-shirts with names of cities – Aleppo, Homs, Damaskus – followed by “Munich”; cities we have all heard far too much about in the news. They sang together about “Heimat” and ended with their own version of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”. Their wives and children stood proudly in the audience and cheered with everybody else at the end of each song. A further group played on traditional Syrian instruments.

It is impossible for us to imagine what these people have been through, both at home and on the 47-day trek to a better life in Germany. It is wonderful to see them smiling and making music together here in Munich. Please take time to have a look at their website: http://www.bayerische-philharmonie.de/Navigation/Soziales-Engagement/Musik-schafft-Heimat