Concentus exchange visit with Voice & Spirit
Last week popular Eastbourne choir Concentus welcomed back their friends and fellow choristers Voice & Spirit from Appen in Germany for their second exchange visit. In the six years that the two choirs have known each other a very special bond of friendship has been formed.
The German visitors, who once again stayed predominantly with Concentus choir members as their host families, were entertained, transported, fed and treated to fun and laughter over five days just after Easter.
In a week that saw them perform in both Christchurch in Seaside and Arundel Cathedral, take over Simply Italian for food and singing, make fun of themselves and each other at a barn dance in Willingdon School, and take part in a church service in Alfriston, the German gospel choir returned to Hamburg last Sunday exhausted but happy with yet more fond memories to treasure of their Eastbourne hosts.
Unless you have spent some time in the company of this amazing amalgamated group of singers, watched them perform together, seen the obvious affection, listened to the harmony of more than voices and witnessed first-hand just how much this all means to them, then it is difficult to convey in mere words just how deep and powerful a relationship this is. Overcoming their language barriers and any ideas of politics or religion, the choristers use their mutual joy in the language of music to spend the time they have together in perfect harmony. This was never more evident than when they performed one of their favourite pieces “Peace Shall Be With You” both at Christchurch and in Alfriston and the whole choir spontaneously joined hands. The emotion, like the performance, was overwhelming.