The P23 Aula was filled with the uplifting sound of music last Monday at the NMS Summer Concert, organised by Thomas Langlotz. The Bands from Grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 and the Choirs of the Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Music-School showed off their musical prowess to the delight of the capacity crowd of families and friends.
The programme established a lively pace, with each group allocated a snappy couple of numbers. The concert kicked off with the 5th Grade Band performing “Let's Play” by Eric J. Hovi to get everyone in the musical mood, followed by the Flex choir who charmed the audience with their version of “Do Re Mi” from "The Sound of Music", complete with gestures. Next up was the Grade 3 choir who got the audience singing along with Uli Führe’s “Awum”, with some helpful encouragement from the spirited choir master, Eugen Tsygutkin.
The 6th Grade Band had toes tapping with their upbeat version of the Mary Poppins classic, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”. Then the 4th Grade choir impressed with a four-song sequence, including a passionate performance of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” The concert reached a high point with the turn of the 7th and 8th Grade Band, who deftly pulled off the “MIssion:Impossible” theme, written in challenging 5/4 time. Mr Langlotz praised the band’s efforts, emphasising how much work had gone into mastering the tricky time signature.
The concert came to its joyful conclusion with a rock-tastic medley of the Queen hits “We Will Rock You” and “Another One Bites the Dust” played by the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Bands and accompanied by the audience vigorously stomping on the floor and clapping in time with the music. The ensuing applause was deafening and well deserved.
Massive thanks to all the students and teachers who helped to make this such a fun and memorable event!
Text: David Gordon Smith
Photos: Alexandra Metzger