"Singing puts you in a good mood and makes you livelier"

"Like a laugh, like a bird's flight, a song rises to the heavens", it sounds from the salon of the Neue Schmiede leisure and cultural centre in Bielefeld-Bethel. This is where the members of the Junge Schmiede choir rehearse. Director Nele Lunkenheimer and the members are very happy to finally be able to sing together again after the coronavirus-related restrictions.

Christiane Kroll also came to the salon on this Thursday evening. "I always look forward to the rehearsals," she says, "and I especially look forward to our performances." Those who, like Christiane Kroll, have been involved for years know exactly how good it is for them to perform in front of an audience. "When we perform, we feel that we are able to make others happy. It's good for our self-confidence," emphasises Nele Lunkenheimer. There is also the joy of being able to sing and perform again. Rehearsals were not possible at times over the past three years because singing was temporarily banned due to the increased risk of infection.

Nele Lunkenheimer is a teacher at the Mamre Patmos School in Bethel. The Young Forge Choir was formed eight years ago from the choirs that the special needs teacher works with at the school. She is also known to many people in Bethel from her work as director of the children's choir of the Zion parish. Nele Lunkenheimer would particularly enjoy directing an inclusive choir. But that is difficult, she says: "The people who come to the Young Forge Choir need a special, sometimes individualised approach. For example, they have completely different needs in terms of the repertoire of songs and the speed at which we practise than singers from other choirs."

Nele Lunkenheimer has just given warm-up and vocal exercises. Now she accompanies the polyphonic choir with a guitar, occasionally interrupting gently and correcting them by singing in front of them. Then everyone joins in with the song that rises to the heavens "like a laugh, like a bird's flight": "And I marvel, I feel light, God's wings carry far!" Satisfied smiles and applause - the singers obviously feel as light as they do in the song. "Singing puts you in a good mood," says Nele Lunkenheimer, "it releases happiness hormones and it's a group experience: it sounds better together than alone. Singing makes you feel more alive, I notice that in myself every time." Christiane Kroll is delighted with how well the choir performs the song. She exclaims: "It's really fun to sing!"

Text: Philipp Kreutzer | Photos: Thomas Richter