It’s about community
So that the choir can perform as a unit, the listeners learn the gestures. That too is a challenge. Jonathan Münzel sings in the choir and learns the signs: “What fascinates me about the project is that musical and social aspects come together. I learned a lot about it, of course individual signs, but also the principle of German sign language. The inclusive contact with each other the project is unique for me.”
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The inclusive ensemble only works if enough people take part. The number of people with hearing impairments is currently growing, but the number of people singing in the choir is decreasing: “It can’t be compared to a normal choir, which is all about the music. That’s important, but it’s not the focus all the time. It works It’s about the community culture. You have to embrace that.”
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This is work for everyone involved. Andrea Schmetzstorff often finds herself in the situation where she also has to translate between hearing and hearing-impaired people because there is no money for a professional interpreter: “If we, as hearing-impaired people, want to take part in a leisure activity, we actually need an interpreter apply from the personal budget. But not everyone gets that.”
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First performance in April 2022
In April 2022, the Sing & Sign Choir performed its inclusive St. John Passion for the first time. The ensemble worked on it for two years. But it was only possible because the choir received funding for this one project. The young choir will only be able to continue its pioneering work if it receives regular financial support. Then the inclusive St. John Passion could be part of Leipzig’s cultural calendar in the future.
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