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Activities in 2007
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Celebration Weekend Activities
Reaffirmation Meeting - Verdi Requiem - Ecumenical Service - Dancing
Reading Male Voice Choir / Anna Bineta Diouf
Football Exchange in Düsseldorf
Sixtieth Anniversary in Düsseldorf
Hands of Friendship woodcarving
In 2007 we celebrated the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Reading-Düsseldorf Link. Events took place throughout the year with a climax in late June 2007.
You can download the full programme here. To read it you need Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Civic Celebrations in Düsseldorf
In Düsseldorf, the official celebrations took place on Friday 11 May to Sunday 13 May, including joint concerts by the Reading Male Voice Choir with the Benrath Male Voice Choir (Friday) and the Clara-Schumann-Musikschule (Saturday). For news of the celebrations click here.
Civic Celebrations in Reading
The main civic celebrations planned by Reading Borough Council took place from Friday 22 June to Sunday 24 June, and included:
Friday: A formal Civic Meeting to reaffirm our friendship with Düsseldorf
Saturday: A visit to the "Waterfest"
Saturday: Verdi Requiem
Sunday: An ecumenical commemorative church service at St Mary's Minster Church, led by the Bishop of Reading, the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell
Sunday: Dancing by Düsseldorf Grasshoppers and Reading dance groups, Forbury Gardens
Our Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday 8 November at 8 pm in the Kennet Room at the Civic Offices, Reading. The Mayor, Councillor Chris Maskell, took the Chair as President of the Association. Presentations on exchanges during the year were given by the Reading Male Voice Choir and the Aldbrickham Step and Clog Dancers.
The main celebrations in Reading took place from 22nd to 24th June 2007, when the Oberbürgermeister of Düsseldorf, Herr Joachim Erwin, visited Reading.
On Friday 22nd June, Reading Borough Council held a Civic Reaffirmation Meeting and Reception, at which the Council marked its continuing support of the friendship between Reading and Düsseldorf. Speeches were made by the Mayor of Reading, Cllr Chris Maskell; the Oberbürgermeister of Düsseldorf, Herr Joachim Erwin; the Leader of Reading Borough Council, Cllr David Sutton; and the Minister Plenipotentiary at the German Embassy, Herr Hans Henning Blomeyer-Bartenstein. Herr Erwin gave the Mayor a large model of the Rheinturm in Düsseldorf, and received an illuminated certificate of the Council's resolution.
Oberbürgermeister Joachim Erwin, Trish Haines (Chief Executive, Reading Borough Council), Herr Blomeyer-Bartenstein and the Mayor of Reading, Chris Maskell, with gifts
A large number of people attended, including Councillors and other community leaders, members of the Reading Düsseldorf Association, the Reading Düsseldorf Churches Interchange, and other groups linked to Düsseldorf, the daughter and grandson of Mayor Phoebe Cusden who founded our link, and participants from exchanges in the late 1940s.
On the evening of Saturday 23 June, the Concert Hall of Reading Town Hall was completely full for an exciting performance of Verdi's Requiem, by the Pangbourne Choral Society with the Reading Symphony Orchestra and members of the Orchester der Landesregierung Düsseldorf, in the presence of Oberbürgermeister Joachim Erwin and Mayor Chris Maskell.
On Sunday 24 June, there was an Ecumenical Church Service at the Reading Minster of St Mary the Virgin. The preacher was the Bishop of Reading, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell. Other participating ministers were the Revd Canon Brian Shenton (Rector and Vicar of the Minster), Pfarrer Martin Kammer (Friedenskirche, Düsseldorf - Evangelical), Pfarrer Martin Ruster (Matthäuskirche, Düsseldorf - Roman Catholic), Father Anthony Ikhenoba (Our Lady of Peace Church, Earley - Roman Catholic), the Revd Robert Weston (Park United Reformed Church), and the Revd Margaret Dimmick (Caversham Park Ecumenical Church, Chaplain to the Reading-Düsseldorf Churches Exchange). Lessons were read by the Mayor of Reading, Pfarrer Kammer, Robert Dimmick (Chairman, Reading-Düsseldorf Association) and Eleonore Dedring.
You can view the Order of Service here.
Throughout the weekend the Düsseldorf Grasshoppers and the Aldbrickham Step and Clog Dancers performed at various places in Reading, ending at the Forbury Gardens on Sunday afternoon.
The Mayor of Reading with the dancers
Aldbrickham Clog and Step Dancers
Watching in the rain
Members of Düsseldorf Grasshoppers watching
Düsseldorfers get athletic
A traditional dance from Düsseldorf
Reading Male Voice Choir / Anna Bineta Diouf
On Saturday 16 June, the Great Hall of the University of Reading was filled for a concert given by Reading Male Voice Choir with the 20-year-old mezzo-soprano Anna Bineta Diouf, a graduate of the Clara Schumann Music School in Düsseldorf, and the Felling Male Voice Choir from the North East. Anna's singing, both with choir and piano, showed off a wide range of moods and genres and was enthusiastically received. It formed a good contrast to the two Male Voice Choirs, who were both excellent.
There was a large turnout for an excellent and varied concert "In Harmony" at the Town Hall on Saturday 9 June. The concert was presented by Andrew Peach of BBC Radio Berkshire, and featured the Reading Barbershop Harmony Club (also known as Thames Valley Chorus), Düssharmonie, and Vox Concordia. The guest of honour was the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Peter Beard.
Click here for more about Reading Barbershop Harmony Club's links with Düsseldorf.
Organ recital at Reading Town Hall by Wolfgang Abendroth, Johanneskirche, on Saturday 2 June.
An enthusiastic audience including many friends from the Reading Festival Chorus heard works by Bach, Mozart, and others.
Football Exchange in Düsseldorf
David Johnston of Caversham AFC writes:
I thought I'd keep you informed of what was a fantastic weekend we had in Düsseldorf. Unfortunately, my feet have not touched the ground since coming back but the exchange was great fun. In the tournament we lost on penalties in the final to another German side.
Maybe I can put something together for you soon.
Sixtieth Anniversary Celebrations in Düsseldorf
The official celebrations of the 60th Anniversary took place in Düsseldorf on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 May 2007. The Reading delegation consisted of the Mayor of Reading (Councillor Bet Tickner) and her Escort Leszek Luszowicz, Debi Daniels from Reading Borough Council, and the Chairman of the Reading-Düsseldorf Association (Robert Dimmick) and the Revd Margaret Dimmick.
The Oberbürgermeister, Joachim Erwin, was unable to be present due to ill health, but his place was taken by two other Bürgermeisters.
On Friday 11 May, the Mayor and Escort had a guided tour of Düsseldorf. At a formal reception, she presented the Hands of Friendship woodcarving to Bürgermeister Heinz Winterwerber and received a tankard from him, and there was a dinner for the delegation and the British Consul-General.
The Mayor of Reading, Councillor Bet Tickner, with Bürgermeister Heinz Winterwerber
The Mayors with the woodcarving
Consul-General Tibber, Robert Dimmick (Chairman, Reading-Düsseldorf Association) and Debi Daniels (Town Twinning, Reading Borough Council)
The Consul-General, the Mayor and her Escort
On Saturday 12 May, celebrations of Europe Day took place in the Marktplatz at Düsseldorf. Councillor Tickner and Bürgermeisterin Gudrun Heck were among those who made opening speeches. There were musical contributions throughout the day from groups representing many of the countries of the European Union, mostly from Düsseldorf residents, but including a performance by Reading Male Voice Choir. There were also stalls representing many European countries. The weather was very changeable with some heavy showers, but the sun came out for the Male Voice Choir.
Cllr Bet Tickner with Bürgermeisterin Gudrun Heck (right) and interpreter, waiting to speak
Councillor Bet Tickner speaking at Europe Day event in the Marktplatz, Düsseldorf
The Mayor waiting for the Reading Male Voice Choir (and for the rain to stop)
Sunshine as the Male Voice Choir begin their set
Gwyn Arch conducts the Reading Male Voice Choir in the Marktplatz, Düsseldorf
In the afternoon, the delegation was shown round a large exhibition of late works by Picasso at the K20 art gallery, including some from Düsseldorf's own collection. Düsseldorf has some of the most extensive collections of modern art anywhere in the world.
In the evening there was a joint concert in the Udo van Meeteren Hall at the Clara-Schumann-Musikschule, with more speeches from Bürgermeisterin Gudrun Heck, from a representative of the British Consul and from the Mayor of Reading. The Chamber Choir of the Music School sang Brahms' "Love song waltzes", and the Reading Male Voice Choir presented a varied programme. Following the concert, representatives of the Choir presented glass bowls to Frau Heck and to the Director of the Clara-Schumann-Musikschule, Peter Haseley.
The Mayor of Reading, Cllr Bet Tickner, with Bürgermeisterin Gudrun Heck at the Clara-Schumann-Musikschule
The Mayor speaks to the audience at the Clara-Schumann-Musikschule
The Chamber Choir of the Clara Schumann Music School
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Gwyn Arch conducting the Reading Male Voice Choir
Reading Male Voice Choir present glass bowls to Director Peter Haseley and Bürgermeisterin Gudrun Heck
The flags of Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and the United Kingdom decorate the Clara Schumann Music School
On Sunday 13 May the Mayor toured Schloß Benrath and had lunch at the Rheinturm restaurant before returning to Reading.
The Reading Phoenix Choir gave a concert on Saturday 5 May for the Reading-Düsseldorf Association at Caversham Heights Methodist Church, conducted by Norman Morris. A large audience heard a wide variety of works from different periods.
During the interval, the Berkshire Woodcarvers presented the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Bet Tickner, with a wood carving "Hands of Friendship" to be Reading's gift to the City of Düsseldorf for the anniversary celebrations. The carving is made from lime wood from a tree at Highdown School, which blew over in a gale some years ago, and has a mahogany base with the inscription:
"Presented by the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Bet Tickner
to the City of Düsseldorf to mark the 60 years of friendship
May 2007".It was made by Bill Mander and Frank Rogers, both members of the Association. Bill is Vice-Chairman of the Association and a former Mayor of Reading.
At Easter 2007, an under-13 team from Düsseldorfer Sportverein 04 Lirienfeld (DSV04) visited Caversham Association Football Club. They played a match at the Palmer Park Stadium, Reading where Caversham won 2-0, and took part in a four-way tournament. There are pictures here.
The Annual Dinner was held on Friday 30 March at the Maltsters Arms, Rotherfield Greys. The Mayor of Reading, Councillor Bet Tickner, was our Guest of Honour, and 26 members and friends of the Association were present and had an enjoyable evening.
The Wine and Cheese Evening took place on Monday 12 March 2007. Unfortunately, our planned speaker Helen James was unwell and could not come.
The Chairman, Robert Dimmick, talked about the documents recently received from people who took part in exchanges during the early years of the link, some of which can be viewed here. These documents were on display at the meeting, and Maureen Stevens (who lent some photographs) was present.
He also described the events planned for this year - see Future Activities.
Contributions from the floor were made by representatives of the Caversham Association Football Club, Reading Male Voice Choir and Aldbrickham Clog and Step Dancers.
Other Events
March-May: 'Life of Reading' Photographic Competition run by Reading Chronicle
April: Carnival Costume Exhibition at the Civic Offices
16 April - 4 May: Work exchange students from the Lore-Lorentz-Schule working in Reading
May: Exhibition of gifts from Düsseldorf to Mayors of Reading, at the Civic Offices
3 - 6 May: Reading Beer Festival organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) festival, when we believe Düsseldorf Altbier was on sale.
In September representatives of the Association visited the Lore-Lorentz-Schule in Düsseldorf to celebrate their 30th anniversary and the ground-breaking for their new building, and to support their continued work experience programme.
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© Reading-Düsseldorf Association 2010
12 March 2010
