I got to know Michael Zev Gordon, British composer of Polish Jewish descent, as I was studying for my Masters in Composition at Birmingham University, he was my tutor there and has been a creative inspiration for me ever since. He mentioned to me that he would be coming to Germany for a performance of his work in Cologne and then we decided it would be wonderful if he could come and share his work with our students and support them in their creativity. I then asked the school Förderverein for financial support to enable this project and they kindly obliged😀.
Michael Zev Gordon and Joe Houston, British pianist who specialises in contemporary music and currently resides in Berlin, joined 18 students from grade 5 to grade 12 and two teachers for a workshop entitled ‘Diary Pieces’ from 2pm to 4pm on April 23rd in the auditorium.
The workshop was inspired by a series of compositions by Michael Zev Gordon, where he attempted to capture memories in music – often short pieces, but deeply expressive and with an inner beauty. Workshop participants wrote their own diary pieces prior to the workshop and were given feedback by Michael and Joe at the workshop.
After a welcome coffee and cake break, there was a concert to which parents and friends were invited whereby Joe Houston performed all of the student pieces from the workshop as well as pieces by Anna Klohs, Ruth Gramann, Michael Zev Gordon and the Potsdam-resident composer Wolfgang Thiel.
It was an incredibly inspiring afternoon and evening and we are very grateful to the Förderverein of our school for their financial support of this project.
Ruth Gramann