Experiencing a concert is always unique.
Think of the last time you went to a concert, what do you pay attention to?
What do you observe?
What do you feel?
Do you remember the energy in the room during a concert?
I am personally one of those people that easily falls under the spell of live music.
There are so many things happening during a concert; sounds, movements, the atmosphere.
As a member of the audience, I mostly stand still or sit and try to pay attention to the lyrics.
And when there are no lyrics, my musician friends told me I should pay attention to the “dynamics” of the performance, something like appreciating how the music evolves throughout the act, how it varies, which senses are stimulated at different points.
But now it has been a while that I haven’t been at a concert and in performances shared via online, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Like many things in my life that I’ve only realized now, I took live music as a given. Yesterday I attended the 7th concert of Music for Moria.
In short, what a delight.
The experience of attending a concert was different this time: I cycled in the cold and rain to get to my girlfriend’s place and it was worth it because when I reached, food was warm and ready. We would watch the concert together, in her living room in the north of Enschede. I felt like we were sitting front row in the Vestzak Theater. The artists managed to convey this feeling of being closer; at a safe distance, but closer.
Initially, I wanted to do a general summary of the concert, but as I wrote earlier, every experience is unique, and each person that attended the latest Enschede concert have their own memories.
Sometimes one remembers beginnings and endings, but this occasion each performance left me with something. What follows is what I remember not only from my memory but also from my heart:
First, the starting of the concert with Bella Luna and her band felt like a warm welcome. I can tell when people are enjoying when they are on stage. It is kind of contagious. And I somehow perceived that vibe between Bella Luna, Dito, and Marije. Listening to Bella Luna singing had a soothing effect in me, and she also reminded us why these concerts are about: the urge to help people in Moria.

After Bella Luna, Dulcie took the stage. Her songs will remain with me. Particularly “Easy”, a song that calls us out on our privileges. When I mentioned my bike ride and the cozy environment in which I could watch the concert with my warm meal while listening to her song, felt like a personal attack. Certainly we don’t chose our privileges, but we do have a say and a responsibility to decide what to do with them.

Then there was the speech of Mira, who described her personal vision and why Music for Moria is important for her and for the volunteers behind the project. It made me think about all the people working hard to make these benefit concerts happen, which is an example of the stories that sometimes we don’t see, in the sense that the common narrative is that a single person, one might call a hero, comes up with an idea, an innovation, and changes the world. I think it is time to shift that myth, and instead recognize the collaborative work and what people can achieve together. Music for Moria is an example of that, people connecting to help people.

I also really enjoyed the mix of musical stories interpreted by Faisal, Zorah, Michaela, Bruno, and Mira. Faisal, who is seventeen years old and has an amazing voice, met Zorah during the teaser event at the Van Heek plein back in September. One month later he is singing with a group of musicians he has never seen before. It is a good feeling when you encounter people with whom you can resonate and create a strong bond that inspires everyone involved. I got chills when he sang a capella the song he wrote for his mom. Thank you for the reminder, Faisal. I need to call my mom.

The closure was ecstatic. These three masters took the stage so I could appreciate “music dynamics” in its full expression. I personally liked the energy of the drummer. I could almost feel the vibe in the room of the theater. Teachers being students, students being teachers. People connecting. People supporting.

Lastly, Saleh’s speech really moved me. He prepared some powerful words where he talked about humanity. He was trying to read from his phone, but he eventually gave up and looked up at the camera and I remember his eyes because it was as if he was looking through the screen, his eyes piercing all the invisible spectators. And he abbreviated his speech to deliver a clear message: People in Moria need help.

And that is what these concerts and Music for Moria is about. If you want to support the project and help people helping people, please consider donating here.

Stay tuned for the next concert.

Sam (read more of her stories here)

---

Thanks to…
…Maaike Ronhaar for the beautiful pictures.
…Vestzaktheater for offering their location and their live-stream equipment.
…Robert to do the video-recording
…Jeroen Beritsia for the sound and Alireza Baghdadchi for helping out last minute
…Saleh Ahwazi for his touching speach
…The Music For Moria-Team: Mira Dietl, Digna Huinink, Zainab Lax, Michaela Nicolaou, Eleni Christofi, Bruno Knigge, Joris Kostelijk, Job Bunschoten
…The musicians: Bella Luna, Marije Dijkstra, Fernandito Beaumont, Dulcie Polhuis, Faisal Kashify, Mira Dietl, Michaela Nicolaou, Bruno Knigge, Christoph MacCarty, Uli Wentzlaff-Eggebert, Yonga Sun