European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Conductor Kevin Mcgill Luray of Fulda High school in Germany leads band practice in preparation for the honors music festival maturing top High school Talent. Music students band together then sound off annual honors music a amps photos by Dave Casey Alissa Kleeman Lefta flautist from Wurzburg Germany talks music. Jerry Keller Karlsruhe hits a hair raising note. By Jimi Jones education writer the Best note note struck last week at the honors music festival in bad Kissinger Germany was one of Harmony Between american teen agers and their German audience if there were any concerns about american kids in letter jackets Blue jeans and Tennis shoes invading their City they vanished when an elderly German woman sitting on the aisle in her fur hat and coat fastened a smile to her face and nodded her approval the audience responded Well to the teen age band and chorus a and its leaders a lavishing upon them Long and loud applause. More than 100 High school students and 13 music teachers from about 20 american schools in Germany had come together to blend voices and instruments in the Region s annual music festival held in bad Kissinger. The festival features top music students from department of defense dependents schools in a two hour band and chorus concert the concert coincided with the annual Germany Region administrators conference which concluded on thursday. The Honor band and chorus consists of students selected for their exceptional musical abilities. Chosen from hundreds of audition recordings submitted by schools throughout the Region students have Only 2 a Days of intense rehearsal before the festival. This Marks the 13th year that regional music coordinator Robert Benson has arranged the formal concert a and the eighth consecutive year the festival has been set in the acoustically splendid Regen Tenbeau concert Hal in bad Kissinger. Concerts previously were held in High school gyms. The Regen Tenbeau grosser Saal is one Germany s most famous concert Halls Benson said. A this Hall is As Good As Carnegie Hall in new York City. Its known for its acoustics because its All natural Cherry Wood and cloth. Kids done to get a Chance to perform in a Hall of this Caliper even in the United states Quot he said. Quot a lot of times when kids graduate they won t remember the Day to Day things but  remember this for the rest of their lives. This is just something that s very special Quot Benson said. The concert has scored some key notes for Host nation Harmony said Benson who also conducted two numbers during the performance. A we have a wonderful rapport with the City of bad Kissinger Quot he said a they give us this facility for three Days free of charge Quot with Only the stipulation that they provide a free concert for townsfolk he said. Quot it s built a reputation Over the years with the local German people. They re amazed at How Well disciplined american kids Are. They Only hear the worst Quot Benson said. The concert also allows Dodds music teachers to Shine Benson said by giving them the Chance to work with the most talented students and the occasion to conduct in a formal setting in front of a German american audience. Lelia Smalley a conductor from Bonn High school described the 62 chorus and 59 band members As Quot the Best of the  Quot these students Are incredibly talented and very musically gifted Quot Smalley said Joanna Reininger is a Veteran honors chorus member a this year marking the sixth year As one of the voices that brought near perfect Harmony to the concert Hall in the Small German town. Quot the first year i came i was very nervous Quot said Reininger a senior at Patch High school in Stuttgart Germany Quot i was just a Little seventh grader but it s always been a real Joy for me. I could almost Call it Tho Climax of the year Quot its really neat to express myself in a Way that i love with people who feet the same Way Quot the 17-year-old said. The performance began the band playing the works of classical composers including Johann s. Bach and George Frideric Handel. The chorus followed with pieces including Johannes Brahms Wiege lied or Lullaby which the composer gave to a Friend on the birth of her child. The second half featured Solo instrumental and vocal passages students appreciated the surroundings and Tho atmosphere of the evening. Quot when you walk in Here you feel like you should be quiet you should t even be talking because its so Beautiful Quot Reininger said. Quot people react to that. I think our music becomes bettor. And of course everyone dresses up so that helps Quot Sam Alexander the conductor for the Young musicians said the event provides a Good learning Opportunity for the participants Quot the first Day they feel each other out. There a no group yet. But by the second Day once we Tell them How bad they sound it All comes together Quot said Alexander a 24-year Dodds Veteran from Kaiserslautern High school who has been with the festival since its inception. First time chorus participant Elena Lopez also from Kaiserslautern said she picked up valuable lessons from Wiesbaden Germany High school conducted Yvonne Jaeger and others. Quot she taught us to focus and to be professional Quot Tho Kaiserslautern Junior said. Quot she told us when we got Here we would feel important because we would be with All of the professionals and High people. They conductors really built up our self Confidence. Everybody really Felt better about themselves. We All got to know one another and to work off of each Othen Quot and students were anxious to blow their Best horns As he broke Down his clarinet Jerry Keller who normally wears a less than conservative Mohawk Type hair style temporarily changed his Quot Doo Quot for the evening. Quot it did no to quite fit Quot he noted. Christian Jacobs of Karlsruhe Germany. Adeen Nieves of Wiesbaden Germany. David Lynch of Wurzburg Germany. Page 16 b the stars and stripes wednesday March 25, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 17