Alumni from the university met at their alma mater for the second time
“Gisela – is it really you? When did we last see each other? Where did the time go? Tell me everything!” Greetings like this were a common occurrence in Weimar on 12 May 2007. For the second time, the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar saw graduates of all fields and generations attend the alumni get-together, this time in collaboration with the ALUMNI LISZTIANI e.V. association, which was founded in 2006. Around 200 alumni accepted the invitation.
Even two hours before the official start of the day, the first few alumni met at the Fürstenhaus in Weimar, keeping an eye out for old friends. Together, they headed for the celebratory event in the Festsaal. Alongside the welcome by the Dean, Professor Rolf-Dieter Arens, and the chair of ALUMNI LISZTIANI, Professor Wolfram Huschke, music was the order of the day, as the common thread that bound all the graduates together. As the best in the university, students of the Postgraduate Course B had the opportunity to show their predecessors what they were capable of: Frederico Gianello (piano), Pjotr Prochera (vocals), Akiko Takezaki (violin), Tomohito Nakaishi (piano) und Yun Sun (double bass) were among those who performed. The lengthy round of applause given by the alumni speaks for itself... One graduate from 1973 remarked: “Wonderful! The highest level of interpretation.”. But another question was also asked: “Are there no longer any German students?”
Subsequently, graduates had the chance to swap stories, old and new, in the much-loved student atmosphere, accompanied by good food: our alumni seemed visibly at home in the ‘Resi’, which has always been a meeting point for many of the students. Despite the cosy atmosphere, the alumni didn’t miss the opportunity to shower the performance of the Orchestra of the FRANZ LISZT University with praise. Led by Group Musical Director Golo Berg, also a graduate of the university, the orchestra treated the audience at the Weimarhalle to works by Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt.
When asked what she had liked about 12 May in particular, one alumna (class of 1978) said: “Oh, the entire lovely day”. An alumna from 1995 even said: “I want to express my deep gratitude to the university. Hardly a day goes by when I don’t think back to my studies. What I learned here has been very important for me.” Praise like this is lovely to hear, but it is also motivational. There are lots of alumni to seek out, and to motivate for the next get-together in 2009.