Emotional farewell notes at the summer concert of the Ernestinum high school!

Emotional farewell notes at the summer concert of the Ernestinum high school!

A very special summer concert took place at the Ernestinum high school in Rinteln. In the auditorium, the students gave an impressive performance that thrilled the audience. The wind class, led by Kilian Komma, set off the musical introduction with rousing pieces such as “Hard Rock Blues” and “Old MacDonald had a Farm”. The swing orchestra under the new direction of Jan-Willem Overweg also created a great atmosphere and played film music as well as well-known melodies such as “Crocodile Rock” by Elton John and medleys from “The Greatest Showman” as well as Disney classics.

Particularly noteworthy was the saxophone quartet under Corinna Strohmaier, which went on a musical journey of discovery with pieces such as “Tango del Choclo” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”. The big band rounded off the evening with a mixture of oldies and modern hits, with Kathi Geers shining with powerful vocals, including “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse. The event was not only a musical highlight, but also an emotional farewell for the 73 high school graduates of the class of 2025, who were bid farewell to their retirement by headmaster André Sawade, as well as by Chris Schwarzenberg, who is leaving the direction of the house band.

Emotional farewell workshop

The farewells were accompanied by personal words and small gifts. The high school graduates, including Nils Schatzl (electric guitar) and Carolin Gniesmer (trombone), received words of thanks and creative farewell gifts such as big band pillows and guitar straps with signatures. Fabian Bender, the band leader of the big band, recognized the achievements of the high school graduates and highlighted their influence on the music school. Chris Schwarzenberg was also honored with a slide show and emotional speeches by Jan Mellinghoff. The students presented him with a poster commemorating the great moments of the performances, and each band member received an “Ernie’s House Band Mug” as a souvenir.

A moving evening that not only highlighted the students' musical talents, but also emphasized the importance of music in education. Again Cultural Council notes, music lessons are an indispensable part of cultural education and promote not only musical skills, but also social skills and personal expression.

A new wind is blowing through the music scene

The challenges created by the Corona crisis have led to a lack of young talent in the advanced bands in school music, which makes the farewell to long-standing members of the big band all the more noticeable. However, with the new leader of the swing orchestra, Jan-Willem Overweg, there is hope for a breath of fresh air and creative impulses for the remaining and future generations of musicians.

What remains are the memories of an unforgettable evening full of music and emotions as well as the prospect of new talents and experiences in the coming school year. Music will continue to be the heart of cultural education at the Ernestinum high school.