Since the beginning of September this year, around 50 singers of different ages from Siedenbollentin and the region have been rehearsing one of the best-known and most popular works of music literature – the Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).
Soloists from Wolgast, Hamburg and Berlin were won
The “Evangelisch im Tollensewinkel” project choir includes both experienced choristers and those who are singing in a choir community for the first time. The singers include eight employees of the Dahlen branch workshop of the Diakoniewerkstätten Neubrandenburg.
How can all the different singing abilities of the participants be brought together? The head of the project “Bach in Siedenbollentin – all inclusive” of the Siedenbollentin parish and conductor David Beier proves it: “I am of course very pleased that we were once again able to recruit excellent soloists from Wolgast, Hamburg and Berlin for the project, who will work together with the Orchestra – in addition to musicians from the Neubrandenburg Philharmonic, there are also guests from Hamburg and Lübeck, among others – and the choir will delight our audience.”
Christmas oratorio planned especially for children
The doctor of orthopedics, who, in addition to medicine, also studied church music and choir conducting at the University of Greifswald, had the idea of performing this work in his hometown around five years ago. And with the support of many like-minded people, he implemented it. While he conducted some excerpts from the oratorio here in the church for the first time in 2019, two years ago he conducted Cantatas I, IV and VI. And according to many listeners, the success was “terrific”.
David Beier (left) managed to form experienced choir singers and those who are singing in a community for the first time into a choir for “Bach in Siedenbollentin – all inclusive”. Colin Heidecker (2nd from left) plays the Continuum here. (Photo: Bodo Lubensky)
But before the big concert begins on Saturday at 7 p.m., there will be the “Christmas Oratorio for Children” at 4 p.m. for the children, their parents, grandparents and relatives. Here it’s all about listening, participating, learning and singing. The conductor, soloists, musicians and choristers are very excited to see the children’s reactions to this interactive program.
“On the one hand, the participatory concert is about not only introducing the children to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, but also telling them the Christmas story, the Christmas miracle, contained in the arias and chorales,” explains Colin Heidecker. Because the Christmas oratorio is about a child and his family.
Performance will be broadcast in tent in front of the church
The church music assistant in the Neubrandenburg St. Johannis community and freelance concert teacher developed the concept for this special way of teaching children the work of the famous Baroque composer in a playful way. And now he and all the other committed participants in the project hope that many girls and boys will want to be part of it.
Like two years ago, there will once again be a festively decorated churchyard, where flickering fire bowls radiate warmth and the large Christmas tree spreads anticipation for Christmas. Your physical well-being will also be taken care of. And for all those who were unable to get a ticket for the church, there is a large marquee in which the events from the church are broadcast on a monitor.
A large crowd is expected. Thanks to the commitment of the organizers of the project, the Siedenbollentin parish with Pastor Sonja Reincke, the village association “De Bollentiner” with Annette Kossyk and David Beier, the Christmas oratorio has become known far beyond the borders of the town near Altentreptow, which has around 600 inhabitants. The Parliamentary State Secretary for Western Pomerania and Eastern Mecklenburg, Heiko Miraß (SPD), even comes to the small village church for a greeting from the state government.
