Young Orchestra NRW: Lindlar again and again

For 15 years now, the Young Orchestra NRW - up to 140 people - has been coming to the Lindlar Music Youth Hostel several times a year for a week to rehearse in peace and quiet. Why Lindlar in particular? For Jörg Reihl, one of the organisers of the NRW Young Orchestra and the orchestra and choir of Witten/Herdecke University, the answer is simple: a lot of space is needed so that the various instruments and voices can rehearse their parts in peace and quiet. And this is available in Lindlar: „We rehearse in the local cultural centre and use the premises of the youth hostel and the neighbouring school for the separate rehearsals of the registers,“ explains Jörg Reihl.

The youth hostel has a total of six rehearsal rooms of different sizes, ranging from 30 to 110 square metres. The rehearsal rooms are equipped with instruments such as pianos, electric pianos, keyboards and guitars. In the large hall of the cultural centre, which the municipality makes available to the music groups from the youth hostel at favourable conditions, there is room for 800 people. A large stage with a grand piano is also available. The forum offers orchestras space for up to 150 people and choirs for up to 200 people. Additional rehearsal facilities are available in seven classrooms at Lindlar primary school. The school foyer is also suitable for orchestra and choir rehearsals. A choir of up to 80 people can be accommodated here. All external rehearsal rooms are within a 15-minute walk of the youth hostel. „This luxury that we have in Lindlar is normally only found in a music academy,“ says Jörg Reihl.

This is high praise, which hostel manager Melane te Marfelde is particularly pleased about. For her and her team, the encounters with music groups are a matter close to their hearts. „The different groups always make it very colourful here and the music is an enrichment for the staff and the other guests at the hostel. It's always a lovely time together,“ she says. Her team is happy to cater to the special needs of the individual groups. Meal times can be individually adapted to the rehearsal times. „In winter, for example, we offer the choirs lots of tea to keep the singers“ voices supple," reports Melanie te Marfelde.

As a thank you, there is great music in the youth hostel - including from the NRW Youth Orchestra. The ensemble always comes together in the large hall of the cultural centre after rehearsals to give a concert for the people of Lindlar. „The concerts are always a highlight for the people of Lindlar,“ says Jörg Reihl with a smile. „Our concert in January, for example, is considered the New Year's concert in the community.“

You can find more information about Lindlar Music Youth Hostel at www.jugendherberge.de/jugendherbergen/lindlar/proben/. An overview of all Rhineland music youth hostels can be found at www.jh-musikgruppen.de.