Helga Jeschke, alto 2, started in 1969 in the Berliner Volkschor, BOC honorary member since 2024
Helga, how did you get into the BOC?
Helga: My mum and I were guests on a steamboat trip with the Berliner Volkschor because some of our family were already choir members. The choirmaster then approached me. I was a little nervous and thought that if I didn’t like it, I would leave. But I thought the Johann Strauss concerto they were rehearsing at the time was melodic and beautiful. At the next concert, it was Elijah by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. I enjoyed it so much that I stayed. Nowadays, if I don’t sing for a long time, I miss the choir after a few weeks at the latest. When my husband and I were travelling, for example, I was always quickly drawn back to the choir afterwards to train my voice.
What was the favourite music of your youth?
Helga: I wasn’t much into classical music and preferred to listen to pop songs. But I sang in music lessons at school and played the recorder. When we went through Mozart’s Magic Flute in class, my interest in opera was awakened. My music teacher wanted me to join the school choir, but I didn’t feel like it. As an adult, I met him by chance and told him that I was now singing in the Berliner Volkschor. He was really pleased.
How does it feel to sing in a concert?
Helga: You’re always tense and excited beforehand. You have to be very attentive and focussed and, above all, you need stamina. When people applaud, the soloists come back on stage at the end and the conductor lets the choir stand up, you immediately feel a bit taller and shine from within.
Which occasions do you particularly remember?
Helga: Our performances at the Potsdamer Schlössernacht and at the Italian Summer Night in front of the Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt with four tenors on the steps were special. The 100th anniversary was also something special. We celebrated in the main hall, there was a small concert and we danced. It was also nice to say goodbye to our former conductor after 50 years: He put together a great programme, from light-hearted to serious, everything we have sung over the years.
