In Harmony
Cultures
Music Connects
Refugees have been arriving in Europe for years, and in response, an increasing number of people in this country are expressing sentiments of segregation and xenophobia. This motivated me to take action. I conceived the idea of creating music with refugees. My friend Jörn Wiertz organized a charity concert in the Protestant church in Rosbach an der Sieg.
In the lead-up to this concert, I sent out a newsletter inviting refugees and locals to come together and make music. Everyone who wished to participate was welcome, regardless of their origin, gender, age, or musical background. We played musical instruments that I had developed, providing only a few simple instructions within which all participants could freely express themselves.
Everyone demonstrated their innate sense of musical beauty, proving that they could create beautiful sounds, even if they had never held an instrument before. Among both refugees and locals, there were also some musicians who brought their own instruments to our gatherings - the tambur, oud, neyhambone, a persian bagpipe, as well as the violin, trumpet, and flute.
Two local choirs also performed at the concert. Initially music from the West and the East was contrasted. Only later did our improvisations begin. Based on a keynote and carried by the sounds of my instruments tuned in overtone series, music from diverse cultures came together.
Towards the end, lullabies were sung in Kurdish, Arabic, Persian, or German over a collectively created soundscape. Initially sung separately, the songs eventually flowed together in an improvisational blend.
As mentioned earlier, there were few professional musicians involved; most were amateurs. Our performances were not flawless, but perhaps that imperfection contributed to the creation of a heartwarming atmosphere. The refugee musicians revealed aspects of themselves and their cultural backgrounds, and the interaction with locals resulted in a harmonious yet entirely new musical experience. It became evident that immigration could be a tremendous cultural enrichment for us. Approximately four hundred concertgoers in the packed church listened attentively. There was thunderous applause at the end.
Even weeks later, I continue to receive feedback that this concert had a positive impact on many individuals. For Germans, it transformed their fear of foreigners into sympathy and interest. For refugees, it might have been the first time that so many Germans listened sympathetically, following their harrowing experiences of war and displacement.
For me, one of the most rewarding aspects is witnessing how art and music can have a healing effect on society. It demonstrated the transformative power of music. It can be put into this simple formula:
The opposite of a weapon is a musical instrument. With weapons, you destroy; with music, you can heal.
In the recent state elections, the AFD, which advocated shooting refugees, achieved double-digit results. This underscores the brutalizing impact of fear on people across our country and emphasizes the urgent need for projects like the one described here in many places.
If you're interested in organizing similar musical encounters in your community and have questions about implementation, please reach out to me! I'll be delighted to assist you.
We've already received numerous requests for additional concerts. I've collaborated with the musicians I met among the refugees, as well as German musicians. As much as possible, we aim to continue making music and hosting concerts elsewhere, involving both refugees and locals, in the spirit of the project described here.
