Anniversary concert in Maichingen: Music for peace and earth inspires!

Anniversary concert in Maichingen: Music for peace and earth inspires!

On May 25, 2025, the Maichingen Singing and Sports Club e.V. (GSV) celebrated two important anniversaries: 950 years of local history and 155 years of choral singing. As part of a festive concert entitled “Laudato Si’ – We sing for Maichingen!” A varied program was presented in the community center. The event brought together the entire community and was a sign of togetherness and appreciation for the earth.

The concert took place under the direction of Albrecht Volz and Ulrike Dehnen. The musical performance was illustrated by a symphony orchestra with 30 musicians and a choir with 60 singers, consisting of all four GSV choral groups. These included the mixed choir, the Glanzfarben, the Phoenix Voices and the Goldkehlchen singing band. Four vocal soloists — Judith Erb, Wiebke Huhs, Gerhard Nennemann and Michail Nikiforov — enriched the concert with their voices.

Program and musical highlights

The program mainly included excerpts from the contemporary magnificat “Laudato Si’” by Peter Reulein and Helmut Schlegel, which premiered in 2016. This work, inspired by St. Francis' Canticle of the Sun and Pope Francis' encyclical, formed the first part of the concert. The musical range ranged from powerful fortissimo to quiet, meditative sounds and addressed peace, justice and the preservation of the beauty of the earth.

In the second part of the concert, well-known songs were presented, including John Rutter's "Look to the Day" and "Look at the World", Michael Jackson's "Heal the World" and ABBA's "Thank You for the Music". A special highlight was the instrumental piece “Méditation from Thaïs” by Jules Massenet, which was impressively performed by solo violinist Helena Sophia Dolge. The “Singbande Goldkehlchen” provided additional momentum with a modern interpretation of the church song “Laudato Si’”.

Community and gratitude

Kristine Seidl, the first chairwoman of the GSV choirs, thanked everyone involved and emphasized the importance of experiencing peace and gratitude for our earth together. After the break, guests also enjoyed a wide range of drinks available in the foyer.

The concert was described as a musical festival full of diversity, expressiveness and emotion. The entry price was 19 euros for adults, 9 euros for children between 14 and 17 years old, while children up to 13 years old had free entry. The visitors were enthusiastic about the high quality and the emotional moments that the concert offered.

As the Stuttgart News and the KRZBB As we report, the anniversary concert was not only a musical event, but also a call for reflection on important issues of our time.