A UNIQUE collaboration between young musicians from Hampshire and Germany has resulted in two commemorative concerts in each of their home areas.

The Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Roy Perry, travelled to Germany for the return visit.

He said: “The wonderful sound of Hampshire’s most talented young musicians performing with equally talented young singers is a most poignant illustration of the theme of peace and reconciliation.

“At a time when we are remembering the sacrifice that thousands of people made so that we could live in peace, events such as this shine as an example of the power of the arts to bring people together, both near and far, to promote unity and common purpose between nations.”

Hampshire County Council’s Youth Orchestra has teamed up with the 80-strong choir of the Liebigschule-Giessen for an exchange that saw the orchestra travel to Germany last weekend for a prestigious peace and reconciliation concert at the city’s St Petrus Kirche to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the First World War.

This follows a similar concert held at Romsey Abbey last weekend, which featured: Mozart’s Requiem, and Mauersberger’s Wie liegt die Stadt so wüst, conducted by Carl Clausen from the Hampshire County Council’s Music Service and Peter Schmidt from Liebigschule-Giessen.

Among the audience were The Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson, the High Sheriff, Mark Thistlewayte, and Countess Mountbatten, the High Steward of Romsey.

During their time in Hampshire, the Giessen choir members stayed with their counterparts from the youth orchestra and enjoyed sightseeing in Romsey and Winchester, Giessen’s twin city.

Between rehearsals the choir held a debate in Hampshire County Council’s council chamber led by councillors Andrew Joy and Liz Fairhurst, followed by lunch with Cllr Perry at The Castle.

The Hampshire Youth Orchestra members were hosted by choir members in Giessen.