The preparations and especially the rehearsals were intense—straight from the summer break into the final sprint! However, the summer break was quite a productive break, as the SATB-voices rehearsed separately and everything was being organized, from posters and the commemorative publication to the concert program, as well as the party after the concert. The very ambitious and varied selection of songs made rehearsals feel like a roller coaster ride – especially the rehearsal before the final rehearsal, which felt more like free fall than flying high into the sky. But after intensive reworking, our dress rehearsal was, according to our choir director, “an intense and beautiful dress rehearsal, what a sound, great!” This may also have been due to the inspiring presence of former choir members, who rehearsed next door and sang two songs with us.
The 20th of September was a beautiful, very warm late summer’s day. The New Palace was resplendent, and bees and bumblebees were hovering everywhere in the palace gardens – very fitting for our song “Bumblebee,” which some of the singers kept humming to themselves. The technical team had been working since 2 p.m. to optimize the acoustics in the auditorium of the University of Potsdam for us. For this concert, we had professional support from a sound engineer. After a quick run-through the setlist and careful but convoluted shuffling around to find our final stage setup, Eugen gave us a “coach’s talk” in the hallway outside the hall as we waited for our big entrance – it was packed with motivation and emotion, as is his way. And then we were off!
Almost two hours in total, with tributes, memories, surprises, and above all—music. Of the 16 songs in 10 languages, “Gede Nibo” was particularly well received by the audience, a fast-paced voodoo song from Haiti accompanied by percussion instruments, which exuded a special energy thanks to Eugen’s instruction to dance ecstatically. For the encore, “Faith” by Stevie Wonder, almost everyone was on their feet dancing with us. It was very special for us to sing the two beautiful songs ‘Irish Blessing’ and ‘An die Musik’ by Franz Schubert together with the former choir members. Hubert, a former fellow singer who had travelled there especially for the occasion, gave a moving eulogy. It was exactly as it was said in the speeches: the choir lives through its community, right from the very beginning. We remembered the late choir founder Wolfgang Puwalla with gratitude. But more recent developments were also celebrated—our own band and musical accompaniment and the inimitable pianist Michail Zigutkin, to whom we owe arrangements and sometimes piano accompaniment. And, of course, Eugen Zigutkin, who directs, provides arrangements, and ensures that we never stand still, that we always continue to develop and surpass ourselves. We were also able to surprise Eugen during the performance—with his own arrangement of Queen’s hit “Love of My Life,” rewritten for him as “Songs of Our Lives,” conducted by bass singer Matthias and featuring an emotionally charged solo by soprano Ella. Afterwards, Eugen needed a little time to collect himself… What an experience, what a story, what a sound of diversity we were able to celebrate together with our guests!
There was also live music at the after-concert-party in the North of Potsdam, between a fine Arabic buffet, lovely cake, and wine: former and current choir members sang beautiful little pieces solo, in duets, and in quartets. Eugen’s second choir, “Heimatsounds”, with their Ukrainian singer, performed a moving song from their war-torn home country. Eugen’s father, Michail Zigutkin, surprised us and even his son with a very special gift: over the summer months, he had arranged “As Time Goes By” (famous from the film “Casablanca”) for our choir, which he played for us on the piano. Will the piece be part of our New Year’s concert? Stay tuned!