“Project 2025 – Arche Musica” organizes international arrangement competition for musical remembrance culture
In a significant cultural milestone, Europe’s first international arrangement competition for musical remembrance culture was launched a few days ago in Hanover, during the chor.com European festival. The German Choral Association, in collaboration with Schott Music and Project 2025 – Arche Musica, AEPJ member since 2023, has introduced this competition centered on the German-Jewish Songbook of 1912. This initiative seeks to foster a dynamic choral remembrance culture while promoting engagement with Jewish musical traditions in both Germany and Israel.
The competition is the first of its kind and carries a total prize fund of 20.000 euros, with three winning compositions to be published by Schott Music. Musicians from Germany and Israel are invited to create new arrangements of songs from the Hebrew and German sections of the 1912 songbook, offering them a unique opportunity to make an impactful contribution to a new form of remembrance culture. Thomas Spindler, project manager at Project 2025 – Arche Musica, highlighted the importance of this initiative in building bridges between Jewish and non-Jewish communities through music.
At the official launch, Dr. Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism, praised the initiative, describing the German-Jewish Songbook as “an almost perfect testimony to the symbiosis that the two cultures have formed over the centuries.” He stressed the importance of continuing to integrate Jewish music into modern German culture, particularly at a time when antisemitism remains a significant challenge.
Former Federal President and President of the German Choral Association, Christian Wulff, also emphasized the emotional and unifying power of music. “Music can move people in a very special way and make them experience what we share with each other,” Wulff noted, adding that this competition not only commemorates a shared cultural history but also looks to the future of remembrance culture through innovative musical expressions.
The competition is open to composers from Germany and Israel, or those residing in either country, and invites them to explore new creative interpretations of the songbook’s rich material. Submissions must be made by December 31, 2024, with the jury, comprising an equal number of Israeli and German experts, evaluating the works based on their innovation, compositional concept, and accessibility for amateur choirs.
Beyond the competition itself, the German Choral Association plans to support the project with educational resources and workshops for schools and choirs to ensure its lasting cultural impact. The project is generously funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
For more information about the competition, please visit www.deutscher-chorverband.de/erinnerungskultur.
This is a unique opportunity for musicians to contribute to the legacy of Jewish music and foster a new form of remembrance culture that resonates across generations!
