In keeping with the event’s title, students from Steinmühlen kicked off their summer concert amid warm temperatures and before a packed audience. It was a good thing that the school’s auditorium allows the side windows to be opened. This way, the fresh air complemented the effort to let pedestrians passing by—who were on their way to the summer festival hosted by the Rowing and Sports Club, taking place at the same time at the boathouse—enjoy the music as well.

Right from the start, Wind Class 5, led by Andreas Jamin, gave an impressive demonstration of the skills they had acquired on their instruments over the course of the school year. Wind Class 6, led by Ulrike Wilmsmeyer, showcased their abilities as an advanced ensemble. They were then joined by the concert band, with which Stefan Reissig had rehearsed many inspiring pieces. — At that point, there were about 50 students bringing the stage to life and performing several pieces! Stefan Reissig proudly reported that the concert band now includes some of the students who first discovered the joy of making music in Wind Class 5. So anyone who wants to can remain committed to music at Steinmühle even beyond the wind classes.

The rest of the evening featured the “Pitch Perfect” elective class for grades 8 and 9, led by Daniel Sans, and the bagpipe ensemble from grade 7, which was also led by Daniel Sans and instructor Thomas Zöller. This was followed by the Swing & Sing club with Kim Kaletsch and Chantal Werner, a performance from Talea Funk’s ever-fascinating Hamilton project, and chamber music conducted by Frank Wemme. The 6th-grade choir, directed by Daniel Sans and Ulrike Wilmsmeyer, concluded the impressive event—which earned enthusiastic applause from the audience—with three performances.

MusikKunst—this project combining the subjects of art and music, featuring a presentation by classes 10b and 10a under the direction of Ines Vielhaben, focused on a contemporary interplay of hearing and seeing. Whether from television, music videos, the theater, or rock concerts, we are actually accustomed to this dialogue in our everyday lives. A look at the history of music and art also shows that there have always been points of intersection between art and music, and that many terms—such as “color-sound” or “timbre,” harmony, composition, and rhythm—are used in both subjects. Nevertheless, the two disciplines are taught in school as completely separate subjects. Students observed and listened to what happens when one influences how and through what means these two artistic fields engage in a fruitful dialogue. The presentation, which included music videos, sound collages, and various other visual and auditory elements, took place partly in the presence of the American exchange students. Experiences that are actually familiar—because they are part of everyday life—were brought to the forefront and analyzed. A new perspective on things.

“Wisdom is more important than beauty,” says Athena. But is that really true? Or is the one who knows how to party the best—like Dionysus, the party hero—actually better off? In the household of Zeus, the father of the gods, every child wants to be the best. So Zeus and his wife Hera encourage their offspring to compete in the Olympian Games. — There are delightful reactions and refreshing scenes as the young gods show off their talents. And inevitably, the audience will find themselves thinking of one or two people from their own lives who fit the bill.

Unflinchingly direct yet charming, the fifth-graders perform before a packed house in the Forum, as if they’d spent most of the past school year on stage. “We are who we are,” emphasize the students dressed in white in the chorus about the fierce conflict on Mount Olympus, packaged as a musical.

A Flagship Event

The play was a masterpiece by the youngest students at Steinmühle and, at the same time, a showcase event for the music department. Under the direction of Ulrike Wilmsmeyer (“Mrs. Musical”) and her colleagues Daniel Sans and Frank Wemme, the student musical “Götterolympiade” provided an entertaining evening for a packed house. Band 6, together with Frank Wemme, provided the musical accompaniment. Ines Vielhaben was responsible for poster design and recording. Sam Kempkes and his team, true to their team name, handled sound and lighting.

The most original scenes will soon be available on the kulturmühle.de platform.

Another milestone in the construction of our new building: In the presence of many invited guests, carpenter Benjamin Gudde recited the traditional topping-out speech. The shot glass, thrown from the top of the scaffolding to conclude the ceremony, shattered into pieces on the ground—a sign that the next stages of construction would proceed under a favorable omen. The atmosphere was also festive: everyone was in good spirits thanks to the sunny weather and musical accompaniment by Tom Herfert on the saxophone and Fynn Konnertz on the electric guitar. During the celebration, architect Thomas Oesterle took the opportunity to guide numerous interested guests on a tour of the new building and through its individual rooms.

For the second time, Steinmühle Boarding School hosted its “Parents’ Day.” Parents of all boarding school students were invited on Saturday to spend a few relaxing and enjoyable hours on the Steinmühle campus together with their children and other parents.

In a cozy, relaxed atmosphere, everyone was able to chat about current school events, other daily happenings, or even personal topics. “It’s important to us to give the residents of the Steinmühle boarding school the opportunity to spend time together within the boarding school setting,” says the management team. Another key goal of Parents’ Day is to lay the groundwork for parents to network with one another. The summer gathering complements the annual Christmas party.

In addition to interesting conversations, sports and games in the schoolyard and on the Lahn grounds were also on the agenda. Participants also took advantage of the opportunity to try their hand at Viking chess, play Bounce Ball or Olly Ball, enjoy card games, or compete in a beach volleyball match on the school’s own sand court. Even games like good old-fashioned elastic came into play—in the truest sense of the word!

In the evening, the gathering came to a pleasant close with a large barbecue buffet amid summery temperatures.