Interview with BTU Alumnus Jonas Gallin (Instrumental- und Gesangspädagogik)

Jonas Gallin studied instrumental and vocal pedagogy at the BTU and worked for a long time as a music teacher, musician, singer and presenter. Now he is the new event manager of the new town hall in the singer city of Finsterwalde, which opened on 21 April and for whose diverse programme he will be responsible in future.

Hello Mr Gallin, what fascinates you so much about stage music and how did you come to study in Cottbus?
It really started in my childhood: I was asked by a woman if I would like to sing in a choir - and a little later I was a member of the "Finsterwalder Spatzen". In my school days I learned to play the guitar, but without singing at first. But when I got older, I felt the need to sing along with the guitar - and Chris Poller became my singing teacher. In the meantime, we have become good friends and have also performed together on stage. The joy of music then inevitably led me to study in Cottbus. In the meantime, I have been a musician for 12 years and my fascination for the stage lies above all in having fun with the audience. This even led me to found a party band! We had over 100 gigs all over Germany with up to 8,000 people in the audience.

What was your study experience like and what tips would you give students for their later professional life?
My campus was the outlying location of Cottbus-Sachsendorf. I commuted from Finsterwalde every day during my studies. From today's perspective, I recommend this to every student: Look for a shared flat or student hall of residence locally! Life with other students, joint activities and great experiences, not to mention "networking" - that works best if you live close to campus. And my second tip - especially for musicians: Find a way to teach children as soon as possible, for example at a music school! This work will quickly give you pedagogical experience and routines that will be much more difficult to acquire later. Of course, this also applies to all student teachers.

Now you are virtually changing stage sides from performer to organiser. How do you prepare yourself for this and which aspects of your studies and your professional and stage experience help you particularly now?
Yes, it's true: My role is now completely reversed! Until recently, I stood in front of the organiser as an artist and "begged" for this or that. I have to get used to my new role. But fortunately there are many experiences from which I benefit today. These are above all improvisational talent and spontaneity, stage psychology - in other words, how do you have to deal with children and any guests, what do you have to offer them. Beyond that: the musician-guest relationship. So knowing how the artist wants his guests to feel, how he wants to reach them. Another important point is the network of musicians and stage technicians that I trust! It's a good feeling when I can fall back on friends from my network in emergency situations. And there's one last point: knowing that the stage will always look different than planned - and that it's not a bad thing! It's still perfect, the guests like it, but it was always planned differently.

Finsterwalde calls itself a "singer's town", but what about the music tradition - especially after Corona? Does Finsterwalde, like other places, need new impulses or have the structures remained stable in your case?
Well, Finsterwalde really plays an outstanding role here! I became a musician because I am from Finsterwalde. There are many choirs, such as children's choirs, women's and men's choirs, but also the "Lebensfroh" choir of the dedicated director Karin Melzer, for people with physical and mental impairments. And that is only part of the basis! Just as important are the reliable partners and institutions that make music accessible, such as the Finsterwalder Brauhaus, which offers live music every Thursday during the beer garden season. Or the Casablanca Bar, which offers musicians but also amateur singers a great podium with "Sing & Drink". And big events like the Singers' Festival have a long tradition in our town. One aspect of my new job here will be to support this tradition even further. And I'm really looking forward to that, because with the Kulturweberei we offer a modernly equipped cultural centre that has been carefully embedded in the old walls of the weaving mill - and which is also located right in the middle of town.

What do you miss most from your student days in Cottbus?
I don't have to think about that for long. For us musicians, Club Bebel in Cottbus was a real highlight of musical culture! I have fond memories of that club.