Musical project realized with help of USAFE Band

At 5 p.m. Aug. 19, a remarkable musical project will be brought to audiences with the premiere presentation of “The Armed Man,” by Karl Jenkins, and “Mass of the Children,” by John Rutter, in Landstuhl’s Stadthalle.

This musical project, under the overall umbrella of “Kultursommer Rheinland-Pfalz” and the patronage of Ministerpresident Kurt Beck of Rheinland-Pfalz, is a unique endeavor of the choir “Obere Nahe,” members of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band, NATO Air Command Ramstein, and the towns of Ramstein-Miesenbach and Landstuhl, which generously offered its Stadthalle for the premiere Aug. 19 after the Haus des Bürgers in Ramstein became unavailable due to damage caused by a fire. The concert on Aug. 19 in Landstuhl will be the opening premiere presentation. There will be two more presentations at the German Army Artillery School in Idar-Oberstein and in the Abbey Church in Offenbach-Hundheim on Aug. 25 and 26.

In “The Armed Man,” Jenkins combines elements of traditional military music, church music, pop and jazz into a big concert piece for grand orchestra, choir and soloists. This piece was first presented in London in front of Queen Elizabeth II during the millennium festival in 2000.

Key thought in “Mass of the Children” is our responsibility to leave behind a peaceful world worth living in to our children. This piece for orchestra, children’s choir and soloists was first presented in New York in 2003.

Tickets cost €8 in advance and €10 at the box office. Tickets are available at the Stadthalle in Landstuhl. For more information, call 06371-92340 or email info@stadthalle-landstuhl.de.

(Courtesy of Kirchkreis Obere Nahe)