This year’s Steinmühle Winter Concert turned into a gathering of the very best: With great virtuosity, intense focus, and boundless energy, students from elementary through high school entertained the guests, who filled every seat in the Forum. Parents, grandparents, and siblings had come to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere in the decorated hall and to listen to high-quality musical performances—the result of long hours of practice, diverse talents, and the dedicated guidance of the music teachers.

 

Strengths in all areas

Hosted and directed by Ulrike Wilmsmeyer, the audience enjoyed an evening that showcased the Steinmühle’s strengths in every area—thanks to the collaboration between subject teachers, talented students, and excellent organization, including technical and logistical support. We would like to thank everyone who played an active role in making this event possible, not to mention the 13th-grade class, who provided refreshments during the intermission through their catering efforts—thereby ensuring everyone was well-fed while also raising funds for their graduation fund.

Performers included:

* Wind Instrument Class 5 – Instructor: Stephan Reissig

* Janna Gosejacob (8b), vocals: Gojus Kanes, piano (11th grade)

* 6th-Grade Wind Instrument Class – Director: Andreas Jamin

* Nik Tadjiky (11th grade), piano

* Carlotta Meyer (11th grade), violin

* Mathilda Lambach (12th grade), violin

* Elias Haas, former cellist

* Alexander Meyer, piano

* Gojus Kanes (11th grade), piano

* Annica Bartsch (11th grade), vocals

* Fiete Mio Bender (11th grade), piano

* Sophie Menzler (8b), violin

* Jakob Lepetit (10c), cello

* Carlotta Meyer (11th grade), violin and piano

* Leo Köhler a.G., piano

* Joshua Müller-Brodmann (12th grade), piano

* Concert Band – Conductor: Stephan Reissig

* Mighzou Yan (12th grade), piano

* Jazz Ensemble: Constantin Franz (Grade 13) on guitar, Bent Deidl (Grade 11) on bass, Jule Stry (Grade 11) on euphonium and vocals, Justus Mahnken (Grade 13) saxophone, Sascha Trofimov (Grade 12) and Juliane Spies (Grade 13), flutes, piano, and conductor: Frank Wemme

Julia Fischer was in charge of the catering for Class 13.

What could be better than seeing the people the evening is meant for having fun? As is the case every year, the 7th-grade theater workshop took place toward the end of the school year, and shortly after the event began, the young actors had the audience in stitches. In the nearly packed Forum, classes 7c, 7a, and 7b—in that exact order—shone with their plays, which they had each rehearsed alongside professional actors. This approach has proven successful for years: Professional actors help the students learn how to best use their bodies, voices, and stage presence when performing on stage in front of an audience.

What are the basic elements of theatrical performance? How do I create my own characters on stage and develop a script? And how do you gradually bring the whole thing to life on stage? — Throughout these steps, the professionals, as well as Steinmühlen teachers, provided guidance and assistance during the final phase of the last few weeks, helping to refine the production and take the essential step of running through it again and again from start to finish.

A Love of Performance and Playful Wit

“Cooperation among ourselves is also important,” explains Frank Wemme on behalf of the entire team. As spectators, we could certainly attest that he, his colleagues from Steinmühle, and the professional actors all demonstrated a great deal of imagination, a passion for performance, and a playful spirit when it came to the students. Also striking was the lightheartedness of the performances, despite the extensive amounts of dialogue. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that, despite a few cases of illness, the performances were staffed by understudies and went off without a hitch.

“The Final Boss” was the performance with which Class 7c opened the evening. Dagmar Müller and Michael Köckritz directed this piece. The second play, “Krakow’s Theater,” was performed by Class 7a under the direction of Nina Merzenich and Frank Wemme. The evening concluded with the neighborhood stories presented by Class 7b, directed by Frank Wemme and Michael Pietsch. In every case, the cheerful energy spread from the stage to the audience. The occasional well-known song that fit the scene—such as “Macarena,” “Cotton Eye Joe,” or “Eye of the Tiger”—created a lively atmosphere at just the right moments. But there was something to feast your eyes on as well as your ears: Many of the costumes on display were on loan from the Hessian State Theater and, combined with professionally designed lighting—for which Frank Wemme was responsible this time—contributed to the impressive overall effect.

The new production of Georg Büchner’s “Woyzeck,” developed by the Q2 drama class under the direction of Ines Vielhaben, was performed at the Steinmühle Forum. The performance promised to be an intense and emotional journey through Woyzeck’s shattered psyche, supported by a remarkable cast and a well-thought-out set design.

The story of Woyzeck, a simple soldier driven to madness by society and his own inner demons, was portrayed in this production in a powerful and gripping manner. The protagonist, Woyzeck, played by Silas Krüger, convincingly conveyed the character’s inner turmoil and despair through expressive use of gestures, facial expressions, and voice. Scene 7—The Chamber—was particularly impressive, as the focused lighting and minimalist set perfectly captured the oppressive atmosphere.

 

Insights into the Mind

 

**The Voice (Arwen Seifart): ** A fascinating addition to the production was the portrayal of Woyzeck’s inner voice, played by Arwen. Her provocative, whispered comments added an extra dimension to the performance and gave the audience insight into the protagonist’s inner world. She is the embodiment of Woyzeck’s self-doubt.

**Marie (Luisa Harperscheidt): ** Luisa embodied the role of Marie with a striking blend of vulnerability and strength. Her scenes—particularly her interactions with the drum major and Woyzeck—were emotionally charged and highlighted the complex relationships and power dynamics.

**The Doctor (Emiliya Yanets) and the Captain (Luisa Harperscheidt):** The supporting characters, such as the sadistic doctor and the condescending captain, were also portrayed superbly. Emiliya, as the Doctor, brought out the character’s cold-hearted scientific detachment, while Luisa embodied the grotesque and sometimes comical arrogance of the military.

 

A nightmarish atmosphere

 

The set design was minimalist but effective. The various settings were depicted using simple yet well-thought-out props, which kept the focus on the actors and their performances. The lighting design—particularly the interplay of dimmed and bright lights, punctuated by dramatic scenes bathed in red—enhanced the emotional impact of the scenes. Particularly noteworthy is the scene in the tavern, where the red light and folk music created an almost surreal, nightmarish atmosphere.

The June 20 production of “Woyzeck” was an impressive rendition of Büchner’s classic. The acting was consistently compelling, and the production effectively brought out the tragedy and despair of the story. In particular, the innovative use of the voice as a character in its own right was a successful artistic choice.

The combination of powerful acting, a well-thought-out set design, and creative direction made this production an unforgettable experience.

With this performance, the DS class led by Ines Vielhaben demonstrates its ability to bring classics of theatrical literature to life in an innovative and moving way. A big round of applause to the entire cast for this wonderful evening.

 

Elias Schumann, Class 12c

 

What a wonderful treat for the ears, what a spectacular sight! Time and again, you see that when a teacher is fully committed to the task at hand—whether at the conductor’s podium or playing an instrument—the students are too! And that’s exactly how it was at the Steinmühle summer concert shortly before the end of the school year.

Once again, the event offered the audience an impressive showcase of the vocal and instrumental talents of students of various ages at our school. The program featured the 6th-grade choir, led by teachers Daniel Sans and Anna Prokop; the 5th-grade wind ensemble, conducted by Andreas Jamin; the concert band and the 6th-grade wind ensemble, conducted by Stephan Reissig; and the 10th-grade class, led by Anna Prokop. The concert band presented itself as an impressive ensemble that has grown out of the 6th-grade wind ensemble and—supported by several students from grades 6, 9, and 12—delivered a confident performance.

“That really hits the spot”—that’s what the audience thought as they listened to the colorful medley of songs performed, including “We Will Rock You,” “Rock Around the Clock,” “The Final Countdown,” “Radioactive,” and, to wrap things up, “What a Wonderful World” and “Lean on Me.”

The evening, hosted by Ulrike Wilmsmeyer and with technical support from the Sound & Light Club, showcased the results of a tremendous effort by all the performing students and all the teachers in the music department at Steinmühle. Hats off to them!