Houston- Sister City Association

NEWSLETTER

VOL. 8, NO. 4 Revised P. O. BOX 55853, HOUSTON, TX 77255-5853 SEPTEMBER 2003 EDITOR: A. C. SCHMIDT-LANGE TEL: 713-973-9399 – FAX: 713-973-9499 E-MAIL: [email protected]

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE LET’S CELEBRATE!!! Dear Members and Friends: This is a special time for our association. Our Come and Join us for the fourth quarter will be memorable, starting with the 10th Anniversary festivities in October with Houston-Leipzig Sister City Association’s Calmus, followed in November by the Leipzig th String Quartet and winding up in December with 10 Anniversary Banquet a wonderful Christmas party. and the Let’s remember that on October 3, we are also Fabulous Sounds of Calmus celebrating the hundreds of thousands of Leipzig’s Popular Singing Group visionaries who finally wrested their freedom from the hands of tyranny, which culminated in German Unification thirteen years ago. Some of 6:00 p.m. Courtyard Reception these people have carried this spirit to Houston, 7:00 p.m. Dinner a city that epitomizes America’s freedom and 8:00 p.m. Entertainment by Calmus diversity. These visionaries joined those who founded our association to promote international Parish Hall exchange and understanding. Christ the King Lutheran Church Houston in turn has embraced Leipzig and 2353 Rice Boulevard with open arms. We respond by actively participating in the Sister Cities of Houston organization, which is the umbrella organization for all 16 Houston sister cities. We also respond by $25.00 per person supporting the International Festival, and numerous programs in local high schools plus R.S.V.P. by Thursday, October 2, to Nancy Pusser at memorable events such as the visit of Leipzig’s 713-973-9399 or by email [email protected] Major Tiefensee last year. Even now 13 students and their professor from the University of Leipzig’s American Studies program are visiting Houston to study volunteerism in America: CALMUS ENSEMBLE remarkable events in a remarkable relationship. “To sing with passion and to arouse passion for What is your remarkable relationship to Leipzig? singing” is the leitmotiv of Calmus. The members Is it the world-class culture of the of the group grew up with music and song in Thomanerchor, world-class opera, ballet, and their lives. Anja Lipfert (soprano) trained in the Gewandhaus offerings, the Waldstrassenviertel, MDR-Kinderchor (Children’s of Central the beautiful countryside… etc? Maybe it’s German Radio); Sebastian Krause (countertenor), business related. Perhaps you have family and David Erler (countertenor), Ludwig Boehme friends in Leipzig and eastern Germany. These (baritone), Ulrich Barthel (bass) and Martin freedom-loving people opened their hearts and Lattke (tenor) are all alumni of the famous minds to western Germans, Dutch and American Thomanerchor, the choir directed for many years Continued on p. 2 Continued on p. 2

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President’s Message, Continued from p. 1 LEIPZIG STRING QUARTET (especially Houston) colleagues who teamed up We are pleased to join with the Houston Friends to reconstruct an industrial cornerstone in of Music to present the Leipzig String Quartet on Leipzig. The human relations and friendships Tuesday, November 11, 2003, 8:00 p.m. at the that have grown from this time remain active Stude Concert Hall at Rice University. As a and priceless. member or friend of HLSCA, you have the As our association enters its second decade opportunity to purchase tickets to this fine let’s continue to promote the international ties concert at a discount. Single ticket prices range and spirit that bind our two great cities together. from $28 - $46, but with the discount the We look forward to your continuing active reserved seats will be only $20. Seats will not be support and input to further promote global in a block, but will be drawn from available understanding, freedom and peace. Our team seating. To receive the discount price, tickets effort will continue to make remarkable progress must be ordered through HLSCA and the during this most memorable time in history. deadline is November 4. See you on October 4th! To order, please send a check, payable to HLSCA to: Your President-Elect, Roy de Gesero Otto Goedecke, Treasurer 5544 Holly Springs Houston TX 77056 Calmus, Continued from p. 1 Please be sure to include your name, phone by at the St. Thomas number and the number of tickets that you wish church in Leipzig. to order. You may also order tickets at the The six voices blend in a unique sound dinner on October 4. Tickets may be picked up unparalleled in choral ensembles in Germany. at the Will Call table on the evening of the Their repertory spans centuries in sacred music concert. from the time of the Gregorian chants to the present, as well as secular music of all types. The Leipzig String Quartet was founded in 1988. Whether it is a madrigal, folksong, chanson or Three members were first chairs in the rock and pop songs or evergreens from the prestigious Gewandhaus Orchestra. They have Comedian Harmonists, the sextet interprets the played concerts all over the world, but are pieces with its own special magic. making their Texas debut at this concert in In addition to their own arrangements, the group Houston. Their many recordings include the sings works commissioned and created complete Schubert quartet literature, and works especially for them. from Mozart to Cage. The BBC Radio 3 calls them “One of the most sophisticated and The group is in demand by other artists from imaginative ensembles recording at the different fields of music. They perform together moment.” with the baroque ensemble Leipziger Concert, with the organist from St. Thomas Prof. Ulrich Boehme, and other artists. Currently they are also participating in an intriguing cross-over Come and Visit Us on the Web project in experimental jazz. www.germanconsulatehouston.org/Houston_Leipzig The sextet won first prize at the 4th International www.sistercitieshouston.org Robert Schumann Choral Competition, as well as several prices and stipends in artistic www.leipzig.de competitions.

Their visit to the United States lasts from SEND FAX, E-MAIL OR CALL YOUR EDITOR October 2 to 9. On October 5, they will open the Do you have news or an event to share? Want to comment, season of the Bach Choir and Orchestra at critique, create a column or communicate with other Leipzig Christ the King Lutheran Church, 2353 Rice aficionados? Call your editor at 713-973-9399, send a fax to Boulevard, Houston, TX 77005, at 5:00 p.m. 713-973-9499, or e-mail to [email protected].

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