"Off to tanzania heibt a project of the evangelic-lutheran church in bavaria, which is under the patronage of regional bishop dorothea greiner. 16 young brass players from upper franconia want to make music together for two weeks in august next year with musician friends in northern tanzania on the slopes of kilimanjaro and get to know different cultures.
"Rebekka brought the flyer from the project to the rehearsal. I got wide-eyed and thought, "that’s something for me, tells anna wehrfritz, wind player with the trombone choir hetzelsdorf. Her father, also a brass player in the trombone choir, may have shaken his head, but the very next day the 18-year-old applied to the state trombone director ralf tochtermann in nurnberg and was accepted.
"Anna was very brave and took the risk right away. After all, this is not just a coffee trip", says rebekka muller-low, chairwoman of the hetzelsdorf trombone choir, and is pleased that there is a representative from the region.
There was a first information evening at the beginning of october; there will be rehearsal weekends in may and shortly before departure. Anna wehrfritz is looking forward to the new impressions, visiting different cities and the national park, making music with the young people in tanzania, meeting massais and visiting a home for the disabled and a vocational school.
Who donates for instruments?
She is not only taking her own instrument, but hopes that people may donate money so that she can take instruments for the local musicians. "The young people there are enthusiastic about their faith and live out this enthusiasm through music. However, not all the instruments. I would like to bring some with me", anna tells.
She is already very excited about getting to know the country: "i wonder what it’s like to live in a poor country and have to get by with very little." For people in french-speaking switzerland, having a roof over their heads, running water or heating is normal.
"I know that it’s actually a luxury to be able to choose what I want to eat or wear every day. The majority of people in the world can’t do that", he young musician. The campaign is led by pastor christoph von seggern from forchheim. The project is financed by the trombone choir and various institutions. The participants pay a personal contribution of 900 euros.
"I think this is worth supporting, because this way cultural barriers can be overcome through music. And there are no language barriers anyway, because music is a universal language that appeals to emotions and that everyone understands, rebekka muller-low philosophizes. She goes on to explain that the task of a trombone choir is to carry the praise of god out into the world.
Anna wehrfritz hopes that she will be able to learn more musically and is looking forward to the rhythm of african music: "the musicians in tanzania play without notes, but with a lot of passion. And there is also clapping and dancing during the service. I am looking forward to it."
After her trip, she wants to tell the community in hetzelsdorf about her experiences. "We are planning a community evening and hope that anna will then be a multiplier for the experienced feelings and ideas", says rebekka muller-low. She says: "music knows no boundaries. We live this here on a small scale in the trombone choir, in which we have members from various communities, and now roughly in a project between upper franconia and tanzania."
Anna wehrfritz has just graduated from high school and is currently looking for a new job. Many new experiences are waiting for them. But she also considers: "so far, I have not been so far away yet. If something had happened, I could have called home and my mother would have picked me up right away. That is probably not possible with this trip."