20th Zonta Benefit Concert celebrating the Jubilee 'Peace of Westphalia'

Longing for peace and war cries

This is the motto of the annual benefit concert organised by the Zonta Club Münster - this time together with the two Zonta Clubs from Osnabrück (District 27/Area 03) – to celebrate the peace jubilee of the Peace of Westphalia in the cities of Münster and Osnabrück, which is now taking place for the 20th time under the artistic direction of Annette Kleine on 1st Advent.

Zonta Club Münster President Marieluise Henneberg with the artists | © ZC Münster 05/29 | Collage: ZI District 29

Peaceful and respectful interaction - that is the core of ZONTA International's message

Just as the peace negotiations were held in Münster and Osnabrück 375 years ago, musicians from both cities came together to realise the jointly organised double concert.

The event began with a concert in the Erbdrostenhof in Münster. The President of the Zonta Club Münster, Marieluise Henneberg, emphasised: "The topic of longing for peace and the clamour of war is unfortunately more topical than it has been for a long time. With this concert, we want to send an audible signal in favour of peaceful and respectful coexistence. This is also at the heart of the commitment of all Zontians organised around the world, for whom supporting women and girls in local and global projects is important." In her opening speech, Henneberg emphasised how much music unites people worldwide, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or language.

From Ludwig van Beethoven's Sonata for Piano and Violoncello in A major op.69 - signed by him with the words: "Inter Lagrimas et Luctum" (under tears and mourning), the 19-year-old youth academy students of the WSfM and HfM Münster Izabela Quevani (violoncello) and Dajan Quevani (piano) played the first and third movements with great skill and a deep understanding of cantabile lines and a gripping allegro.    

This was followed by vocal music from four centuries under the direction of Judith Gennrich (Osnabrück University of Music): gripping interpretations of music from the Thirty Years' War, Franz Schubert's "Raste Krieger" (Deborah Manzek), Robert Schumann's "Der Soldat" (Anna Fiege), Gustav Mahler's "Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen" (Katharina Kohoff) to the song "Von der großen Kapitulation" (Lotte Fassnacht). Peppered with Johann Hildebrand's touching war-anxiety sigh (Nayeon Kim) and the famous aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", the ensemble concluded with a touchingly simple interpretation of "Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind - wann wird man je versteh'n". The singers were accompanied by Seyon Kim, Anita Herzenberg, Shanell Giesbrecht, Iris Niemann, Shinichiro Harigari - piano and Elisabeth Fiege, guitar.

The large audience was visibly moved and went into the intermission for personal conversations - delighted by delicious biscuits and drinks, served as always by the reliable ZONTA team. In the second part of the concert, Sojin Kim – cello and Adelina Wolfram – piano masterfully performed the impressive Sonata op 40 (1934) by Dimitri Shostakovitch.    

Supporting the Zonta International Projects against Child Marriage

In addition to supporting the musicians playing and singing in the concert, the proceeds will benefit the Dance, Theatre, Voice project from Münster and the International Projects against Child Marriage.