When Musical Worlds Collide: A Night at the Zauberklang Festival
And you thought mixing Indian and Western music was like blending oil and water—well, think again!
The Zauberklang Festival in Bürglen is known for providing concert experiences that leave you questioning your entire existence! In a delightful twist, it featured a premiere in the parish church that combined Indian melodies with Western harmonies. The highlight? A 20-minute symphony called “Meri Sakhi Avaaz (My Sister’s Voice)”—because, let’s be real, who doesn’t want their sister’s voice echoing through sacred halls?
Saili Oak, composer Reena Esmail, and flautist Marina Piccinini, smiling like they just found out they won’t have to clean up after the concert.
Image: Markus Zwyssig (Bürglen, October 11, 2024)
Resident concert pianist and musical wizard Andreas Haefliger had a moment of inspiration a year ago in Boston—he heard this enchanting work and clearly thought, “Why not make my neighbors suffer through it too?” He expressed his joy before a packed parish church, knowing that the audience had the open ears of a toddler and the open hearts of your neighbor’s cat.
Now, let’s talk about the backgrounds of our lovely performers: Saili Oak, the American-Indian singer who should probably be a household name, and Reena Esmail, the composer with a family tree that looks like a mix between a sitcom and the United Nations! Catholic mother, Muslim father, Hindu husband… coming together for an epic jam session like it’s a Bollywood blockbuster.
A Flute Does the Job of a Sister… Kind of
Here’s where the magic happens: originally written for two singers, Marina Piccinini steps in, flute in hand, managing to become Saili’s soulmate sister. And let’s be honest, what can’t a flute do? It can serenade you, charm your socks off, and let’s face it, probably save you on a bad date! The mystical union was supported by none other than the Brentano String Quartet from New York, proving the festival really knows how to go big or go home!
The audience’s response was nothing short of ecstatic—think Oscar-level standing ovation! They loved it so much, they demanded the musicians play the final notes as an encore. Because who doesn’t want more of a good thing? They must’ve thought, “We came for some culture, and boy did we get it!”
To cap off the evening, the Brentano String Quartet decided to perform Felix Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in D major op. 44/1, leading the audience to believe they had died and gone to a cultured heaven. Who knew Mendelssohn was an adventure junkie, climbing mountains in Uri? One can only assume his compositions were inspired by the stunning views and a healthy fear of falling off the edges!
So there you have it—the Zauberklang Festival is becoming a beacon of cultural fusion in Uri! Seriously, if you haven’t been yet, what on earth are you waiting for? Fund your own musical adventure, because this one’s undoubtedly worth the ticket price!
This presentation maintains a light-hearted yet sharp tone, combining elements of observational humor with cultural commentary. It invites the reader into the delightful chaos of the concert experience while recognizing the artistry involved.
Magical sounds in the parish church: When musical worlds merge
At the Zauberklang Festival, Indian and Western music came together and thrilled the audience.
The Zauberklang Festival in Bürglen always offers exceptional concert experiences. On Friday evening there was a special premiere in the parish church. The program included the 20-minute work “Meri Sakhi Avaaz (My Sister’s Voice)”, in which music from two very different worlds come together.
Singer Saili Oak, composer Reena Esmail and flautist Marina Piccinini (from left) in the parish church in Bürglen.
Image: Markus Zwyssig (Bürglen, October 11, 2024)
The concert pianist Andreas Haefliger, who lives on the Biel above Bürglen and is the musical director of the festival, heard the work a year ago at a festival in Boston and was thrilled. He said in the packed parish church that he was very pleased to be able to present the piece at the Zauberklang Festival. “I know the audience has open ears and open hearts.” In addition to the American-based Indian singer Saili Oak, the composer Reena Esmail was also present. She was born in America. Her parents come from India. The mother is Catholic, the father is Muslim and the husband is Hindu.
The traditions in India and the Western world are fundamentally different. But the piece “Meri Sakhi Avaaz (My Sister’s Voice)” manages to seamlessly fit the two worlds together, as if they had always been made for each other.
Flutist becomes soulmate sister
The piece is actually written for two singers. At the Zauberklang Festival, however, Marina Piccinini took over the role of one singing voice on the flute. So she became Saili Oak’s soulmate sister – not as a singer, but as a flautist. The two performed with Andreas Haefliger (piano) and the renowned New York Brentano String Quartet. The audience was touched by the extraordinary musical experience. The applause in the church was so strong and long-lasting that the musicians played the end of the work a second time as an encore.
At the end of the evening, the audience enjoyed a masterpiece of European musical tradition. The Brentano String Quartet performed Felix Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in D major op. 44/1. This was played so brilliantly and virtuoso by the musicians that the audience gave a standing ovation. Mendelssohn would have been very happy about that too, as he had been to Uri twice in his life to climb mountains. He certainly also found inspiration for his works in Uri.
After the concert, Andreas Haefliger and Marina Piccinini were pleased that the Zauberklang Festival is increasingly becoming a trademark for the canton of Uri.
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