These Luxembourg boys set the tone on the Expo in Osaka
A Wednesday in March. The meeting point is the Philharmonie. Shortly before 12.30 p.m., visitors to the cultural institution flock into the large hall. The free lunch concert regularly attracts music fans of all ages to Kirchberg. But this time no orchestra or chamber ensemble awaits you. A boys’ choir will give parts of its repertoire for a little more than half an hour: the Pueri Cantores of the capital Conservatory.
The ranks are well filled, and there are also many places on the balconies. At first, four musicians are entering the stage: Perkussionist Netty Glesener, Pianist Pit Heyart, Hornist Christophe Frisch and Dina Nimax, her sign of harpist and daughter of the conductor Pierre Nimax, who only strides into the spotlight for his boys a few seconds later. There are 45 singers in front of him, the youngest in primary school age, the oldest of puberty. They all unite the passion for choral singing. And that will be more than clear that day.
Japanese has a great advantage. There are very few sounds that we do not also have in our language.
Pierre Nimax
conductor
Couperin, Nimax and Japanese songs
The concert starts, among other things, with the “Motet de Sainte-Suzanne ‘Jubilus’” carried by the French composer François Couperin (1668-1733) as well as modern works by Karl Jenkins, Ernani Aguiar and « Hymne à la Lumière: ‘Lumen' », a piece that comes from the conductor’s pen. The middle of the lunch ventilator marks « Sakura ». The traditional Japanese folk song, the melody of which sounds rather sad for European ears, is performed by the more than 40 voices with fervor. It describes the Japanese spring characterized by cherry blossoms. The piece is also an indication of the trip that the Pueri Cantores will soon lead to the Far East.
The choir, accompanied by conductor Pierre Nimax and the four musicians, will soon present this and many other songs in Japan. For ten days, the young singers will not only get to know a foreign culture there, but also introduce the local and provide intercultural encounters. For example on the most important date of the trip: the opening ceremony of the Luxembourg Pavilion of the World Exhibition in Osaka on April 13, which is under the motto « United in Singing: A Harmonious Dialogue of Two Cultures ».
Pierre Nimax founded the choir in 1987 and has continued it since 1993 as part of his work in the conservatory. Photo: Anouk Antony
« We were in Japan with the choir once 20 years ago, » explains Pierre Nimax, « afterwards in Canada and the USA. » The last big journey of the ensemble, which he was launched in 1987 and was finally transferred to the conservatory in 1993, fell into the water due to the corona pandemic. The 63-year-old, who works as a professor of choir management and organ at the educational institution, now is all the happier to be able to lead children and young people to the Far Eastern country.
In Osaka, around 90 young singers will be on stage and will perform Japanese and Luxembourgish songs, among other things. In addition to the Pueri Cantores, children from the Ritsumeikan School in Kioto will sound the pieces. « The contact came mainly through the Japanese embassy here in Luxembourg. And we also know a lady who attended the school in Japan, » said Nimax.
Normal clubs have far more problems to find potential singers.
Pierre Nimax
conductor
The choir is currently rehearsing twice a week: once in the respective vocal colors and once with the entire ensemble. Before the big performance, there is little time in Japan to make music together with the children of the selected school. « In the morning we rehearse in Kyoto from 10.30 a.m. to 12 p.m., then lunch follows and then we take the bus to Osaka, where we will appear around 7 p.m., » says the conductor a few days after the lunch concert. And he adds with a laugh. « But that will work. »
Rousing songs from Luxembourg
The young singers in the Philharmonie in the Philharmonie do not relate to the songs that are performed in the Philharmonic in Japanese. You confidently tuned the lines in a language that you do not master. « Japanese has a great advantage, » explains Pierre Nimax. « There are very few sounds that we do not also have in our language. » That is why the change, for example in the play « EE Klengt Licht / Chiisana Hikari », which was composed by Max Fischbach especially for Osaka, is hardly significant.
The audience is enthusiastic about the short stake in the Philharmonie. The applause on « Wéi Méng Mamm to Huet Spun » by Michel Lentz (1820-1893) is particularly great. The piece, arranged by Pierre Nimax Senior (1930-2021), proves how much the Luxembourgian can convince as a vocal language. The audience also delights « de Péckvillchen » by Pierre Nimax Junior, in which the flutes of the same name are of course impressively used.
How many music clubs in the country have to deal with young talent? « Of course you can’t compare choral singing with football, » says Pierre Nimax, slightly amused. « But it doesn’t look that bad. » New students would be added every year in the conservatory. « Normal clubs have far more problems to find potential singers. »
The last screws in the Luxembourg Pavilion are lashed
The complete program of the Japan trip is presented by the boy choir, by the way the only formation of the capital conservatory, in which only male singers can be found, again before the flight east: on Sunday, March 30, at 5 p.m. in the church in Junglinster. Then the « Fräschelidd », which Nimax has included in the program for Japan, will probably also be heard.
The appearance represents the public dress rehearsal for the committed formation, so to speak. « I hope for us that we can welcome a lot of listeners, » said Nimax. Listeners who will probably not make it to one of the concerts that are set in Japan between April 8 and 18.
Concert « Pueri Cantores Go Japan 2025 »; Church Junglinster; March 30th, 5pm; Admission free.
