In August 2016, the SEKEM Initiative organized for the first time a combined summer choir project for adults and children from the SEKEM School, Heliopolis University and SEKEM companies. Various music projects exist in SEKEM since a long time, such as the SEKEM employee choir, the teacher or children’s choir. “The summer choir project was very special because of the mix, including teachers, students, pupils and employees from Egypt and the world. Hence, the project has had not only a musical, but also a social character”, says Marko Skorin, musical conductor in SEKEM since one year. Together with Treaza Naky Shahat, a music teacher at the SEKEM School, and Angela Hofmann, participants practiced for two weeks in the SEKEMs adult training center, the Mahad. Thereby, a wide range of songs in Arabic, English, Zulu and Swahili were rehearsed, which was not easy at all. “Through the polyphonic songs, we had a high artistic aspiration to the choir. For many participants this was a major challenge, as they have sung for the first time in several voices”, said Marko Skorin.
After the two weeks of rehearsals, the summer choir organized several performances. The participants of the summer choir started their set of performances with a concert for SEKEMs Members of the Board of Directors and were rewarded with great applause. This was followed by other performances in the SEKEM School for the employees of the different companies. Both, the audience and the participants were very enthusiastic about the project. “For the first time in my life I sang the second voice and it was a lot of fun”, said a teacher from the SEKEM School.
The last concert was held at the premises of Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development in Cairo. Again, the audience was impressed by the presented songs. For next year, a summer orchestra project is planned. Marko Skorin is already full of anticipation: “We hope that many Egyptian participants and experienced musicians from Europe will attend next summer to celebrate a musical experience at a high level, whereof everyone can learn and benefit”.
Nils Daun
Successful Art and Culture Project between SEKEM and Academy from Stuttgart
Communication and Leadership Skills Training for SEKEM Co-Workers