About 35 young people spent a week at the studios of Stimme der Hoffnung media center, Alsbach-Hähnlein, Germany, to create a music DVD for children. The young members of the multinational orchestra ensemble came from Germany, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, and Switzerland. The orchestra recorded works by Grieg, Händel, Haydn, Mussorgski, Strauss, Tschaikowsky, Berkowitch, and Vivaldi. The week culminated with a concert at the Orangery in Darmstadt on Saturday evening, April 10, 2010.
The project was supported by the Baden-Württemberg Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Project director and cantor Dr.Günter Preuβ shared that the idea originated with the “Kinder helfen Kindern” (Children Help Children) project, sponsored by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) located in Weiterstadt.
“We have a strong interest in promoting music education among our young people. We wish to cultivate their musical talents in a caring, enjoyable atmosphere. Fewer and fewer children nowadays play a musical instrument. Interest in classical music is continually decreasing, although it is just this kind of music that has a very positive influence on a child’s learning ability and concentration,” explained Günter Preuβ, who served for several years as music director at Saleve Adventist University in Collonges, France.
The young performers, who volunteered to spend part of their holidays attending this music recording week, showed a lot of enthusiasm, commitment and endurance through the last performance. Their dedication left a deep impression on those working with them.
In response to this first successful joint project, an association has been founded whose long-term objective is to permanently secure funds, through a foundation, to develop the musical talents of children and youth. The Stimme der Hoffnung media center greatly favors and supports this project. Hopefully, we will soon hear more concerts performed by the multicultural youth orchestra on the Hope Channel.
