Musik – Neuwied – Choirs are planning a new start on the red carpet – culture

Neuwied (dpa / lrs) – The choirs in Rhineland-Palatinate, paralyzed because of Corona, are planning a new start – also on red carpets. On June 27, singing ensembles are to make small performances in many places in the country on such laid-out areas in the open air, taking into account the pandemic rules then applicable, as the two choir associations of Rhineland-Palatinate and Palatinate announced to the German Press Agency. The motto of the planned day of action is: “We’re rolling out the red carpet for choral music.” The spokesman for the two associations, Dieter Meyer, says he hopes that such open-air events will be allowed again at the end of June.

On June 26th, the Rhineland-Palatinate Choir Association wants to sound the “Candoro Choir Festival of Performance Singing” in the culture hall in Ochtendung in the East Eifel – without an audience with live video transmission. From August 27th to September 9th, a “Singbus” of the German Choir Youth will stop in five regions in the state. According to Meyer, the “Kinderchorland Prize”, endowed with 1500 euros, is to be awarded to a young ensemble. In addition, the Rhineland-Palatinate Choir Association and the choir magazine “Singendes Land” want to present the new “Sila Award” – an award worth a total of 2300 euros for choirs with creative ideas in Corona times.

Among the several thousand amateur choirs in the country, there are ensembles that have stopped their rehearsals for the time being because of Corona, says Meyer. “But there are also choirs that rehearse separately online.” Not ideal, but better than nothing. The Koblenz Bach Choir, for example, does this: Juliane Berg plays the piano, sings and conducts, then her singers sing at home with a delay and with the microphones switched off. According to Meyer, some choirs are also considering other activities such as online wine tasting. The two choir associations also organized online training courses for choir directors and advanced singers.

In December 2020, in Ötzingen in the Westerwald, a special concert was played by a mixed ensemble, which has appropriately been called “CHORona Malberg” for years. The audience sat with wireless headphones in their cars, some of which were decorated for Advent. They could sing along to Christmas carols and drink mulled wine.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210227-99-615282 / 2

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