With the arrival of all at Jacobs University – just when all the leaves have turned a beautiful and soothing shade of red – comes Piano To Forte, an annual charity concert organised and hosted by Jacobs students.
Piano To Forte 2019 marked ten years of this musical tradition, turning out to be quite the event, with two consecutive nights consisting of melodious performances and a considerable attendance. From acoustic renditions of pop songs to an acapella version of Somebody To Love by Queen by the Jacobs Choir, from a medley of the most romantic Bollywood songs of the decade to serene pieces on the piano, Piano To Forte 2019 saw it all. There was also the element of surprise – one out of the fourteen diverse performances was a dance number, the first in four years of Piano To Forte.
Part of the Piano to Forte 2019 Organizers
Organisation of Piano To Forte began as early as June. Though a long process, every bit of the effort put in by the organisers paid off. Ever enthusiastic Edgardo Reyes (BCCB ’20) was beaming after every successful run of the show: “At first I was really excited to be the main organiser, but then I realised that this was a lot of commitment! But then again, if there’s any event on campus that I’ve actually wanted to organise, it’s Piano To Forte”. A passionate musician who picks up the guitar at every chance he gets, Edgardo wanted to be able to encourage music in all of its glorious forms of expression. Bringing everyone together took a lot of patience and careful coordination, but it went smoother than expected, much to Gallo’s (as Edgardo is commonly known) delight.
But what does Piano To Forte want to achieve really, apart from allowing students and staff to showcase their musical talents?
Simply put, it aims to do good. All proceeds from the two-day event go the charity clubs at Jacobs University, namely the Refugee Support Club, the Rotaract Club and Explore Bremen. The Refugee Support Club, as the name suggests, caters to the refugees in the Blue Village refugee shelter behind the university by engaging the children in constructive activities and helping children and adults alike with their German language skills. Explore Bremen organises a myriad of excursions through Bremen for underprivileged children attending the Gerhard-Rolf Oberschule. The Rotaract club, a subdivision of Rotary International, undertakes larger humanitarian causes – such as organising blood donation camps every semester in association with Red Cross Germany, and clothes drives, etc. Every bit of a donation to these clubs serves a great purpose and helps them make a more prominent mark in the larger community. Piano To Forte also raises awareness about these clubs amongst students and external guests. “Once they know what we do, how we do it and what are end-goal is, they can support us in any way they wish to and it is deeply appreciated,” said Li Ying Huang, president of the Refugee Support Club. “It enables us to establish valuable contacts and they offer help in different ways, such as donating toys to the children and furniture to their homes”.
Alongside donating to noble causes, Piano To Forte brings people together. Host families, external guests, professors, staff and students come together for a symphonic evening and bond over the elegance and grandeur of music. As one of the more large-scale, sophisticated events held on campus, this show is a perfect way to spend a classy evening with friends, family and dates. Oh and did I mention that there’s also wine and appetisers?
BY USHASHI BASU (INDIA) | CLASS OF 2020
