First, tell us briefly… who you are 

I am Alfred, 31 years, from the north-east corner of Germany. I’m a wannabe sailor, a spare-time gardener and a full-time project manager at the ECA-EC office in Bonn, Germany.

When did you first come in contact with choral music?

Pretty standard story: I first started singing in the children’s choir of our local church at the age of seven.

What does singing mean for you?

Singing for me is the most natural way of making music, and a powerful means of communication and expression. Collective singing, in particular, gives people the opportunity to interact with one another, to make new friends, and to get to know people across linguistic and social borders. Music can open up a whole new universe of thinking and learning, serving as a starting point for an interest in history, culture(s) and civilisation and, last but not least, it’s great fun!

What is the greatest experience you’ve had inside the choral world?

The greatest experience would be the people I’ve met along the way and the friends I’ve made through choral music.

How did you discover that you were (also) a European citizen?

Believe it or not, through choral music! With my school choir, we regularly participated in the brilliant AMJ Usedom festival which takes place right at our doorstep. Every other year, choirs from all over Europe come to our beautiful island to make music together and to enjoy the Baltic summer. These intercultural encounters certainly inspired me to learn languages and helped me realise that national borders are something very arbitrary and that there is so much more common ground between people than there are differences between them.

What is for you the best part of a concert?

The moment between breathing in and singing the first note.

Can you remember a mistake in a choral concert that made you laugh?

Mendelssohn’s St. Paul, #23, first two words after the break. Not suitable to be published on the internet though, it’s bass humour…

When did you first get across ECA-EC?

During the festival mentioned above, I made friends with people of a great choir from Turin, Italy. We stayed in touch and at some point they told me about the 2012 EC Festival and how much fun it was. Many of them volunteered there and it made me want to be part of such a festival as well.

Can you remember participating in an activity of ECA-EC that especially marked you?

Definitely my first GA in Cappadocia, back in 2018,  and the warm welcome I received from the whole ECA-EC family.

What is your favourite flavour to taste?

I’m torn between pickled herring and smoked herring…

What is your favourite sound to hear?

Breaking waves, cries of seagulls, wind in the rigging

Something your family would say about you.

That I should call more often…

Which famous musician, alive or dead, would you like to meet/make music with?

Horst Köbbert

What do you sing under the shower?

Mostly solos.

Thank you!

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The association is only as strong as the people involved. They bring the ideas, the input, the feedback, the encouraging words and so much more. #weareECAEC is an initiative that acknowledges the contribution of people across our association. Every week, you will be able to discover somebody new, be it board, youth committee, staff or a member of ECA-EC.