Open Stage 2020: Talented performers make for a wonderful and varied evening

Every year, the event called “Open Stage” demonstrates that Steinmühle is not only a successful school but also a breeding ground for talent. Here, students from all grade levels take the opportunity to showcase their cultural contributions—guided and supported by the music department and other teachers.

At the end of February, nearly 150 audience members gathered at the Forum to enjoy another entertaining evening. Naturally, the youngest high school students kicked things off. The 5th-grade language workshop, led by Kristina Sokoli, enchanted the audience with their well-rehearsed performance of “Step-Breath-Broomstroke” from Michael Ende’s *Momo*. The performers were Jana Farsch, Paul Fischer, Simon Glowacz, Annan Harnisch, Maximilian Schreyer, Summer Schulz, and Ida Sommer.

This performance was followed by Carlotta Meyer (6th grade) and Johanna Krausch (7th grade) on viola and violin. They successfully tackled pieces by Telemann and Aleksey Igudesmann. Social commentary was a must, and it was provided by Paul Fischer (Grade 5) with his anti-Lidl poem. A group of six students from the 5th-grade theater club, led by Melisande Lauginiger, also presented “Lammkeule,” a performance that made the audience smile and reflect. The cast included Sabine Auer, Emilia Berger, Philipp Dubinker, Ida Kraft, Karlson Obermeyer, and Louisa Röder.

The “4 Notenschlüssel,” featuring eighth-grader Nela Haeberle and her three fellow musicians, performed a high-level flute recital. The audience had never heard anything like it!

Felix Müller was a real surprise of the evening. Accompanied by Ulrike Wilmsmeyer on the piano, the tenth-grader—despite having a cold—performed Giuseppe Giordani’s song “Caro mio ben” in such a way that it gave the audience that famous “goosebumps” feeling. A graduate of a classical vocal training program, he regularly competes in various singing competitions.

The evening, hosted by Ulrike Wilmsmeyer, drew to a close with spirited song performances by Talea Funk (11th grade) and Evelyn Damer (12th grade), followed by a performance by Fynn Konnertz. The guitarist skillfully “played right through” a broken string—in the literal sense—before Tom Herfert on tenor saxophone and Frank Wemme on keyboard brought the successful evening to a close. Tom Herfert, too, once began where many lower-grade students first encounter the instrument: in the wind ensemble class. Matthäus Otte from Sound & Light was responsible for ensuring that the deserving participants remained in the spotlight throughout the evening.

(Angela Heinemann)