Egmont connects young people

There are different ways of coping with the pandemic in the music world. While some are doing nothing and struggling with the lockdown, others are trying to make the most of the opportunities that remain. Il Mosaico, the successful Swiss youth orchestra, is one of the latter. It teamed up with its partner orchestra CMC (Chamber Music Center of New York), with whom it has repeatedly held exchange programs in recent years, and not only took advantage of the Egmont-overture, but also processed the special The story of its creation online as a video under the title A Virtual Orchestra Across the Ocean. The idea came from Mary Jo Pagano, the director of the CMC.

Goethe wrote in his Egmont the struggle for freedom of the Dutch against Spain in the 16th/17th century. The idea of rebelling against an oppressor fits in well with humanity's current fight against the virus. Violinist Hermann Ostendarp, founder and director of Mosaico for 31 years now, says: "I'm not a big fan of these online formats, but young people have to have a goal. It's about not letting the music fall silent in these difficult times." Last year, the plans included a concert tour to Ukraine, but the unexpected lockdown in March put paid to those plans. Doing nothing was not an option, as the young musicians only stay in the orchestra for three to four years on average, so missing a year weighs very heavily.

Recorded in April/May. In the finished video, American and Swiss orchestra members can be seen and heard playing their voices alone in their rooms. How is it possible for everything to be absolutely synchronized and sound great? Ostendarp explains: "When the Concertgebouw Orchestra, for example, does a production like this, it takes an earlier recording of the piece and plays along with it." The Mosaico or the CMC did not have their own recording of the Egmont Overture. Sibylle Johner, the conductor of the CMC, therefore counted in the beginnings and transitions of another existing recording in such a way that clean entries were possible - a conductor was therefore not necessary. "Our orchestra members contributed with great enthusiasm and practiced the often challenging parts with great dedication. They found the digital collaboration both exciting and enriching." After a month - two minutes were recorded every week - the recordings were sent to New York and supplemented by the performance of the American youngsters. Audio engineer and video editor Sean Brekke took care of the rest, correcting mistakes, optimizing the sound and matching video images and sound. The actual music video was supplemented by a making-of, realized by multiple Emmy award-winning cameraman Martin Taube. He succeeded in creating a highly emotional portrait with intense images and heartfelt interviews against the backdrop of an epidemic-ridden New York.

Hermann Ostendarp founded the Il Mosaico orchestra in 1990 and positioned it from the outset as a joint project between the music school and the cantonal school in Wattwil. He was already working as a teacher at both schools at the time and built up well-functioning, coordinated structures. Today there are a total of five ensembles with different levels. The three basic formations are led by a colleague from the music school. In addition to the main orchestra with around 60 members, 35 of whom are string players, Ostendarp himself is also in charge of the Vivaldissimo string ensemble, in which 15 to 25 young people make music. The requirements for joining are based on the scale of the level tests. Level 4 to 5 is required for Vivaldissimo and level 6 for Il Mosaico.

The young people spend a lot of time together in weekly rehearsals, annual music camps and concert tours. They do something that connects them, discover music and experience emotions together. Ostendarp believes this is the most important thing: "The social aspect is very important, almost more important than the musical aspect. I've seen that in my own children, who all make music too." For many of the more than 300 alumni, making music is a lifelong pursuit. Two to three per year decide to study music. In addition to social integration, taking on responsibility is very important to the orchestra leader. The more experienced members look after the newcomers, take over rehearsals for the sections or, if the conductor is absent, even take over the entire rehearsal work.

Planning is difficult in these times. The Brahms double concert with Esther Hoppe, violin, and Christian Poltéra, cello, is planned for next June. The renowned soloist duo is offering the young people a workshop beforehand. The date for a concert tour to Florence is still in the stars, as is the date for last year's missed trip to the Ukraine.