A special Christmas musical event

/

The Auckland Goethe Society’s 2014 Christmas event was a very special and enjoyable one - four singers from the early music group ‘Age of Discovery’ sang a special repertoire for a gathering of about 30 society members and friends.  Included were modern songs, renaissance pieces and of course some German Weihnachtslieder.

Luana Prictor, student of German and Classical Performance Voice at The University of Auckland, introduced the items, which were performed by herself (soprano), Wendy Chen (alto), tenor Lachlan Craig (tenor) and Warren Kilham (bass).

Many of us were so taken by the beauty of the singing that we went the following week to the full choir Age of Discovery’s performance “Celebration of Carols” at St Patricks Cathedral. Magnificent evenings, both of them!

Wendy Thomson

© Astrid Wolter

© Astrid Wolter

How to succeed in the globalised job market - panel discussion and networking event

/

Three professional experts from DB Schenker NZ and Turners&Growers came to University of Auckland City Campus for a panel discussion and Q&A with students, on what they expect from graduates applying for a job with an international company. Followed by drinks and German pretzels, the event went on until 8.30pm, and the students had a great many questions for the professional experts and the representatives from the German Chamber of Commerce and the German Embassy. The event was co-organised by the Auckland Goethe Society, the NZGBA, the DAAD, and the German Embassy.

Auckland Goethe Society Exams Prizegiving 2014

/
© Astrid Wolter

© Astrid Wolter

About 300 school students from the greater Auckland area took part in the in the 64th Auckland Goethe Society exams, our annual German language competition. Congratulations to Andrew Thompson, from Westlake Boys' High School, who was placed first, and to all those who took part!

We wholeheartedly agree with Dr Anna Bauer, DAAD representative, who spoke at the prizegiving: „Speaking more than one language is simply really good for the brain - getting into the nitty-gritty of another language also makes you understand your native language better.” And “there are tons of opportunities with German”!

German Samoa, 1900-1914

/
© Astrid Wolter

© Astrid Wolter

August 2014 was the 100 year anniversary not just of the beginning of World War I, but of the end of German rule of Western Samoa. We were delighted to have Ulli Weissbach speaking about Samoa's 14 years as a German colony.

Ulli Weissbach is a TV producer and director of PACIFICA Productions, specialising in documentaries and other media productions on the South Pacific. Based in Auckland, PACIFICA produces programmes for European broadcasters including ARD, ZDF, Arte, 3sat.

Evening with Auckland Philharmonia Chief Conductor Eckehard Stier

/
© Astrid Wolter

© Astrid Wolter

In anticipation of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s concert performance of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde on 19 July - the first ever in New Zealand - on 19 July, the Auckland Goethe Society was privileged to host an evening with the conductor – APO Chief Conductor and Music Director Eckehard Stier.

Maestro Stier spoke about his career in Dresden and Auckland, and gave fascinating insights into Wagner's masterpiece - both the work itself, and the practical challenges of performing it, even today. 

Information evening - student exchanges to Germany

/

The Goethe Society and German Studies and University of Auckland organised an information evening for students about exchanges to Germany. Four students shared their experiences as exchange students in Germany:

Miriam Chew (Bucerius Law School, Hamburg)
Jerry Yelich-O'Connor (Uni Heidelberg)
Eleanor Quirke (Winterkurs in Leipzig)
Joshua van Veen (Uni Marburg)