“The love of music and the house,” says Angelika Hiller, that’s what all volunteers have in common. The tall woman has been involved in the concert hall since the end of her professional life in 2018. But the connection to the historic building on Gendarmenmarkt is much older. As a “child of the East”, as Angelika Hiller explains, she experienced the reconstruction of the former theater in the 1980s.
Her most emotional experience was the legendary concert by Leonard Bernstein on December 25, 1989, who played Beethoven’s 9th symphony in the Konzerthaus six weeks after the fall of the Wall – with the line “To Joy” in “To Freedom” changed by Bernstein – and Hiller as the cable carrier of a camerawoman friend of hers.
Today, Hiller enjoys the children the most as they attend a dress rehearsal as part of the educational program. “So much anticipation and gratitude” she feels. Visiting the house and seeing the instruments demonstrated is a great experience for many children, especially the music in the large hall. If then the conductor takes the time to talk to the children, then they are happy. “It gives you a lot of good things,” enthuses Hiller.
50
Berliners are involved in the volunteer program
Around 50 Berliners are involved in the volunteer program at the Konzerthaus, which was initiated in 2003 by coordinator Gabriele Bühler. At that time, the idea was a Germany-wide pilot project in the cultural sector, which has since been adopted by many other institutions, such as the Philharmonie.
Guided tours, looking after visitors, explaining the program schedule
In addition to the program for the schools, which is intended to get people interested in music, the volunteers also take on the daily tours of the house, which was built over 200 years ago. The visitors are guided through the four venues. They were also available as competent contact persons in the digital exhibition. The exhibition, which attracted between three and 400 visitors every day, is currently closed due to the current energy-related renovation of the outer walls of the concert hall and the construction work on Gendarmenmarkt.
And of course there are always four volunteers at every performance to look after visitors. They can be recognized by their black vests and a purple scarf. Giving information, explaining the house, explaining the program and helping in any way – that’s how the volunteers see themselves.
The volunteers are particularly committed to the “Children’s Classic Gala”, a special event during the Advent season for children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, which would not be possible without the committed volunteers, as Communications Manager Mattias Richter explains. The same applies to the “public orchestra”, which receives active support from the volunteers during the regular rehearsals and performances of the non-professional musicians.
Blandina Ledenig, who gives guided tours every week, has a very special claim. Not only does she have a lot of fun “showing our beautiful house”. She knows the people and the small and big stories about the house and the conductors and musicians. When people come who are grumpy, it’s a challenge for them, says Ledenig. “They all laugh when they go out again,” says the charming woman. It is a pleasure for her to get to know so many different people and to talk to them.
The volunteers also meet regularly. Like in mid-January, when they were informed by the management of the concert hall about the planning for the still young year in the wonderfully designed “music club” of the house, where small concerts also take place regularly. There is a lot going on there.
Around 30 volunteers, most of them between 50 and 60 years old, learned how the change from the previous chief conductor Christoph Eschenbach to the new orchestra director Johanna Mallwitz is being prepared. There were also eight new volunteers. There was a lot of goodwill for the house’s plans to organize “baby concerts” in the future and to set up a youth council to get the younger generation interested in classical music.
We all feel a “sense of belonging to the orchestra and the employees,” says Angelika Hiller. You can already feel it in the concert hall’s casino by the way the volunteers and permanent employees greet each other. “It’s important to us that the volunteers don’t take jobs away from anyone,” says Head of Communications Mattias Richter: “Our offer is additional.” That’s also important to Blandina Ledenig: “Otherwise I wouldn’t do it either.”
The Ehrensache newsletter, which is published every second Wednesday, is available here for free: ehrensache.tagesspiegel.de. Topics include:
- Ten years of “night shift”: creative companies donate their skills to non-profit organizations
- Heart of Jesus warms – award for the volunteers at the night café
- People empower people: mentors wanted for federal program
- Cinema, theatre, concert or museum – the cultural accompaniment of the Malteser
- Funding for voluntary projects in all Berlin districts
- Network of warmth – Affected people have a hard time with the applications
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