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“Songs of Praise”, an intercultural choir and encounter project is taking place from April to June 2024 across various locations in Luxembourg, aiming to foster singing together and interreligious encounters across the Grand Duchy.
Various Luxembourg-based associations are involved in this project, including the Institut National Européen du Chat Choral (INECC), Liberal Judaism Luxembourg, the Luxembourg School of Religion & Society (LSRS), Fondation Sommer Luxembourg, ACAT Luxembourg and Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture.
A project choir “Songs of Praise” will be created in collaboration with the INECC, in addition to an accompanying book, a podcast production, concert-conferences and lastly a closing concert.
Rehearsal sessions for the project choir have started in April. The following two encounters are set for May and June. The next one is set for Saturday 11 May from 10:00 to 16:00 at the Parish Centre (2 Place des Martyrs, L-8032 Strassen). This rehearsal will be followed by a meal and a tour and encounter at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Luxembourg (2 Route d’Arlon, L-8210 Mamer).
The rehearsal session in June is set for 8 June from 09:30 to 18:00 at the Luxembourg School of Religion & Society (LSRS) Chapel of Centre Jean XXIII (52 Rue Jules Wilhelm, L-2728 Luxembourg), followed by a shared lunch and a tour in the Chapel.
A dress rehearsal will take place on 15 June from 09:30 to 12:30 at the Trinity Church in Luxembourg-Ville. The closing concert for the project choir “Songs of Praise” will take place on 16 June at the Trinity Church (5 Rue de la Congrégation, L-1352 Luxembourg-Ville) at 19:00. Nicolas Billaux will conduct the choir on this polyphonic contribution to the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A concert-conference with Prof Dr Friedhelm Brusniak from the University of Würzburg is scheduled for 7 June at the Eglise St Michel in Luxembourg-Ville from 18:30. This event is entitled “Da pacem, Domine – Choir Singing as a Contribution to Maintaining Pace”.
The book created for this occasion will introduce the communities involved in the project with their various songs and respective singing traditions. This publication aims to showcase the diverse cultural landscape in Luxembourg.
Furthermore, a Chilean evening with music, texts and images entitled “Yo te Nombro Libertad” (I name you freedom) will take place on 15 June at the Centre Culturel Altrimenti (5 Avenue Marie-Thérèse, L-2132 Luxembourg) from 19:00. The German-Chilean duo Contraviento will dedicate a performance to the memory of the victims of the Chilean dictatorship from 1973 to 1989. On 11 September 2023, the military coup marked its 50th anniversary.
Those interested in participating in the choir and encounter project should register on www.inecc.lu under “Songs of Praise” Intercultural Choir Project.
The working language for rehearsals is usually English, although translations to French and German are available.
The events are free of charge.
