SONG OF JOY 2020 – a new rhythm for Europe Identification processes take place more than ever via music. The European Anthem „Song of Joy“ by Beethoven / Schiller is well known but not very much emotionally anchored. In this project we want to give students the opportunity to examine the European idea by using a creative approach (singing and dancing together, playing music, arranging new songs), in order to approach the topics of Europe and humanity on different levels (cognitively, emotionally). Especially music and dance enable lively interaction even without knowing the respective national language. In this project we want to give students from France, Germany, Poland, Finland and Bulgaria the opportunity to create a compilation of songs from and for Europe, to be creative from the beginning on and to exchange ideas with their fellow students from different European countries. They write, practice and perform their own European Anthem. In anticipation of the Beethoven anniversary 2020, we chose the European Anthem „Song of Joy“ by Beethoven / Schiller as point of departure, which will be edited, distorted or written from scratch. In order to raise awareness within the school communities, all project partners will conduct project days about Europe, during which socio-cultural similarities and differences of the respective European countries will be identified (for instance on the topic “self image and public image”). The partner schools will communicate online about the organisation of the project days. We aim to introduce regular Europe days at the participating schools, which will take place beyond this project. After a preparatory teacher training in France on the topic of „eTwinning as a working platform“ the international student meetings will focus on techniques of adaptation and instrumental performance (Finland), choral singing (Bulgaria) and dance performance (Poland), in line with the respective competencies of the partner schools. During the final meeting at the German school, project results will be compiled and presented to a wider audience. We also plan to participate at a Beethoven anniversary event outside our school or to organize our own big show in cooperation with the town of Waldbröl and the district Oberberg. The new European Anthem shall become a fixed component of school events and activities. A reader or manual about “Song writing and editing with and for adolescents” in German, English and French will be made available online, and distributed by the partner schools to other schools and music teachers.
SONG OF JOY 2020 – a new rhythm for Europe Identification processes take place more than ever via music. The European Anthem „Song of Joy“ by Beethoven / Schiller is well known but not very much emotionally anchored. In this project we give students the opportunity to examine the European idea by using a creative approach (singing and dancing together, playing music, arranging new songs), in order to approach the topics of Europe, democracy, friendship and solidarity on different levels (cognitively, emotionally). Especially music and dance enable lively interaction even without knowing the respective national language. In this project students from France, Germany, Poland, Finland and Bulgaria have the opportunity to create a compilation of songs and dances from and for Europe, to be creative from the beginning on and to exchange ideas with their fellow students from different European countries. In anticipation of the Beethoven anniversary 2020 they practice and perform the well-known and their own European Anthem. In order to raise awareness within the school communities, all project partners conduct project days about Europe, during which socio-cultural similarities and differences of the respective European countries are identified (for instance on the topic “self image and public image”). We introduce regular Europe days at the participating schools, which will take place beyond this project. After a preparatory teacher training in France on the topic of „eTwinning as a working platform“ the international student meetings focus on choral and instrumental performance (Finland) and dance performance (Poland and Bulgaria), in line with the respective competencies of the partner schools. During the final meeting at the German school, project results should be compiled and presented in a revue to a wider audience. This final meeting can not be held because of covid-19 restrictions. Some results of the project and tasks for the final meeting are compiled in a common final video that is enriched by interviews with participants.