A brilliant weekend to breathe a sigh of relief
a contribution by Dorothea Borchert and Jennifer K. Kopp
It was talked about for a long time, thought about for a long time, options were weighed, the situation was analyzed, organized, coordinated according to the current regulations and then suddenly it was just there:
Our Rehearsal Weekend!
We had longed for it for a long time, we worried, we were happy and suddenly we were all sitting together in a coach on the way to Berlin! None of us expected it to actually happen.
The travel costs for this project were funded by the Sächsischer Musikrat and co-financed by taxes on the basis of the budget passed by the Sächsischer Landtag.
It started quietly, but gradually louder and louder conversations could be heard from all corners, the first few laughs and soft singing.
Thanks to our bus driver, we arrived in Berlin just in time for the TOTAL CHORAL Festival in the Gustav-Adolf-Kirche, where a very special DIY packed lunch was already waiting for us. A box of rolls, a bucket of butter and margarine, a bucket of eggs, sausage, cheese and a dozen knives. Of course, the Tetrapak of water, an apple and a muesli bar could not be missing, which evoked distant memories of school camps.
The Jazzchor parade made for a cheerful and exuberant atmosphere with lots of laughter and, fortunately, the performance clothes remained clean. Then the make-up skills were unpacked and the well-known hustle and bustle before a performance sounded in the rehearsal room.
The concert finally started! The indie pop choir from Berlin managed to get the concert off to an atmospheric start with song highlights such as “There is a light that never goes out” by The Smiths and “Can’t Stop” by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, where the joy of the choir felt to be able to sing and perform together again after a long time.
After that it was our turn with a really great performance! Our energy and joy in music not only made us groove, but also created a great atmosphere in the audience! Inspired, we left the stage again to throw ourselves straight into the next highlight, our rehearsal weekend.
Packed things, grabbed things and off we went back to the bus to the Seezeit resort on Lake Werbellinsee. If they arrived after midnight, most of them went straight to bed to recharge their batteries for the coming rehearsals.
Only the next morning did we become aware of the splendor of the natural place. Autumn trees lined the way to our breakfast and we used the breaks to relax at the lake. We quickly transformed the “Disco” of the Seezeit resort into our rehearsal room. Seated, provided with sheet music, piano and yoga mats, we were ready to make the best use of the time. The establishment of the “tea bar” with a line of cups by the kettle ensured that voices were permanently oiled.
And already started the first rehearsals. And here not only singing was practiced, but also the assembly and disassembly of our technology for upcoming concerts. Because it’s the little things that help to optimize the process before concerts and give our technology and cables a long life. Something like a cable knot should no longer be part of the repertoire of our choir in the future ?
First of all, we all had to prepare ourselves for the get-together. We were rarely able to work on our choir sound and the sense of community for too long, but step by step we got closer again. We practiced mainly on the new pieces for our 10th anniversary next year. We finally got a common idea, a feeling for the harmony and the potential behind it.
Many liters of tea later, the day was already coming to an end and many switched to beer and wine. As tradition demands, a very special highlight awaited us in the evening: many of the “choris” had prepared fantastic shows that were presented in the evening and it wasn’t just singing!
As always there and loved by everyone: The Roomies! But also our newest member Markus inspired us with his solo talent and Mira and Bea proved to coordinate the singing and the rhythm of the bells perfectly with charm. In addition, many other songs and poems sweetened the evening for us. After all, there were three birthdays to be celebrated on the rehearsal weekend, including a birthday song by the lake under a starry night sky! For a long time everything felt normal again. The joy and affection felt throughout the choir ended in late night choral singing topped with a perfect and truly chiming version of Hallelujah.
Some danced until dawn and others even decided to go for a freezing night swim in the lake on that cold October day!…
It was a “brilliant” Jazzchor night!
Even the next morning (most) didn’t regret staying up late and did some yoga exercises to warm up, because not only the voice needs to be trained.
A few notes lower than usual, but still in a good mood, we continued to practice and get in the mood for the Christmas season. In addition, of course, a lot was organized for the coming time.
Tired but happy we enjoyed the last rays of sunshine on the lake before we had to say goodbye to this wonderful place and drove back to Dresden.
The brilliant rehearsal weekend will always be remembered with a smile, because it was like a “breath of relief” in a currently crazy time!