Joyfull magic of social circus
bringer laughter to children of war
Let's spread happiness together!
Come and join me
Sophia
Alberto Caicedo was born in 1974 in Guapi, Colombia. His musical interest started to develop at the age of 10, playing with the kids from the neighborhood. In 1996 Alberto Caicedo decided to move to Cali the salsa capital, where he took part in numerous salsa and folklore projects. In 2000 Alberto took the decision to emigrate to Europe, looking for new musical challenges.
Throughout his musical career he has traveled international destinations including Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Spain, France, Germany, BENELUX, Italy, Aruba, Curacao, Poland and Kazakhstan, and preformed with great artists such as Willie Colon, Cheo Feliciano, David Pabon, Frankie Vasquez, Roberto Blades, Marco Borsato, Ninthe, Real el Canario, Mario Rivera “Mayito”, Gerardo Rosales y su Trabucombo, Cubop City Big Band, Timbazo, Marejada, Grupo Bahia and many more.
Alberto Caicedo’s 11-piece professional band includes the top of the Dutch Salsa scene. With musicians originating from Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela, Germany, the USA and the Netherlands, this international band offers its audience extremely danceable Colombian Salsa. Formed in 2006, the band has already performed on prominent venues and music festivals in the BENELUX.
After having released his debut album in 2006, which has been reviewed by American Descarga as “a tremendous effort that pays off big right from the opening track” this new album is promising a crossover of swinging Salsa with the huge folkloric traditions of the artist’s home country Colombia.
As Charlie Crooijmans describes the new songs:
“The Salsa with a Colombian color is firm, tight and entertaining”.
The album was recorded in Tam Tam studios of Dutch drummer Lucas van Merwijk and includes next to the international band members special guest musicians such as German percussionist Nils Fischer, pianist Marc Bischoff and the Colombian percussionists Jim Lopez and Boris Caicedo.
Alberto Caicedo
Sophia proudly presents the musicians and artists
for the 2nd edition of this Garden Concert
for Mobile Mini Circus for Children
Born in 1972. He lives in Luxembourg. Graduate of the American School of Music (Vienna) and the Conservatoire Royal of Brussels.
Paulo performs among other things as a jazz guitar duo with Greg Lamy. They met in Brussels and work together since 2006. The two guitarists, besides building up their solo career share the joy of playing in duo and the search of surprising on scene. In order to fall in step, the two musicians have developed their own repertoire which includes the rearranged adaptation of popular pieces such as Stevie Wonders “Isn't she lovely” or famous jazz standards like “ All the things you are” by Jerome Kern. They also perform their own compositions like the recently released tune “Tout simplement”. Besides their perfect technique, these two guys are in perfect harmony, their sensibilities arrive to join, they share humour as well as good notes which provide this subtle touch to their arrangements. During 2011, Lamy and Simoes released a CD including their new compositions.
End of January "GL & Paulo Simoes" will return to the recording studio, there will be some special guests: Ernie Hammes & Jerome Goldschmidt and Gautier Laurent. The new CD will be released in Sept. 2015.
Paulo has worked together with Fado singer Raquel Barreira and Joao Godinho, where he plays fado music. He has also worked with Luisa Vieira, Marc Demuth, George Letellier, Jonathan Levi, Annemie Osbourne.He´s working as music teacher at Grevenmacher musicschool.
Paulo Simoes
When I was about 9 years old I started singing with children's choir De Zonnepitten in Schijndel, the Netherlands, and I've been singing on stage ever since; in musicals, jazz-bands and choirs. At the age of 15 I fell in love with jazz music and when I was studying Educational Sciences in Utrecht I was able to develop my passion in the most enthusiastic vocal group of the Netherlands: Dekoor close harmony.
After moving to Luxembourg in 1994, I was active in the theatre group Pirates Productions and in the choir Voices International. After getting into touch with the jazz-scene in Trier and attending several jazz workshops with Norma Winstone and Maria Pia de Vito, I started singing with the Rhythm & Swing Big Band.
I'm involved in different projects and bands, from duo to big band, from mainstream jazz to improvised music. Last year my main focus has been on my new album with piano player Frank Harrison. On Saturday 13th December 2014 we presented our new CD "Beneath the Blue" at the beautiful Robert Krieps Hall in Luxembourg, organised by the Jazzclub Jail.
Edith has played in concerts with: Georg Ruby, Blue Art Orchestra, Donald Regnier, Boris Schmidt, Yves Peeters, Jean-Yves Jung, Jean-Marc Robin, Davide Petrocca, Dany Schwickerath, Daisy Becker, Nils Thoma, Ben Heit, Christian Mariotto, Jean-Luc Deat, Andreas Schmidt, Andrea Marcelli, Robin Draganic, Marque Lowenthal, Ekkehard Wölk, Ack van Rooyen and Pascal Schumacher.
She has recorded and released 3 albums
Dany Schwickerath and Edith van den Heuvel- ‘Hidden Waltz’
Georg Ruby's Blue Art Orchestra- "Sketches of a Working Band"
Frank Harrison and Edith van den Heuvel- "Beneath the Blue"
Edith van den Heuvel
Janos Nadasi
For those wo do not know him yet: Janos is a jazz pianist, teaching at the Conservatoire de musique de la Ville de Luxembourg. He is a former member of the La Boca formation (playing mainly pieces by Astor Piazzola) and used to perform in Hotel Royal, Hotel Sheraton and Hotel Belle Vue as well.
"La Boca", is a luxembourgish band playing tango from Argentina, with Vania Lecuit (violin), Sergio Tordini (guitar), Janos Nadasi (piano), Jeannot Sanavia (bass) and Maurizio Spiridigliozzi (accordion). La Boca, whose is originating from the famous harbour quarter of Buenos Aires, is playing tango pieces of Astor Piazola, Carlos Gardel, Matos Rodriguez, Janos Nadasi and Jeannot Sanavia, in which they put influences from jazz, classical and contemporary music, and even blues.
VOICES INTERNATIONAL
Voices International was founded in 1997 by Peggy Jenks and a few enthusiastic singers soon after the close of a local production of the musical "Oklahoma". She had inquired of the performers in this musical whether they might be interested in continuing to "get together and sing", and their response was very positive. A few weeks later the early roots of Voices International were planted.
VI perform two seasons of concerts each year, the first in June and the second in December. VI is also available to sing at weddings, christenings and other events upon request. All proceeds from their activities are donated to their nominated charity.
A wide variety of music styles are sung, including but not limited to pop, classical, soul, blues, jazz, rock, barbershop, spiritual and gospel. Although the majority of the songs are in English, we also include at least a song or two from other languages in each repertoire (examples are French, Latin, Hebrew, Italian, Czech, Chinese, Swedish, Spanish, German, Polish, Greek, Amharic, African, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovak, Japanese, Scottish, Irish, Swahili, ladino and Luxembourgish).
VI is directed by Thomas Raoult. Thomas started studying the flute at the 'Conservatoires' of Roubaix and Tourcoing at the young age of 7. He then went to Zurich for a year to work with Günter Rumpel (Solo-flutist at the Tonhalle Orchestra), and spent two years working with Aurèle Nicolet (concertist and former Solo-flutist at the Berliner Philharmoniker) in Oberwil. Aurèle Nicolet is also the one who pushed Thomas Raoult to take up orchestra and choir directing, which he studied at the Conservatoire of Luxembourg. Having achieved 7 'conservatoire' diplomas, in flute, music theory, analysis, music, culture, chamber music, orchestra conducting and choir conducting, Thomas Raoult obtained the SACEM award. Never tired of improving his skills, he completed his studies with a Master’s Degree in Composing and Choir directing at the Institut Supérieur des Arts in Namur.Since 2010, Thomas has been living and working in Luxembourg and directs a wide variety of projects, covering symphonic repertoire as well as jazz.
As director of the choir « Voices International », he performs in Luxembourg’s most prestigious venues (Neumünster Abbey, Philharmonie, Grand Théâtre, Trifolion...), and with whom he also participates in international Festivals, such as the « Rhythms of One World 2012 » in New York, where they sang in Avery Fisher Hall and the United Nations General Assembly.
In 2013, « Voices International » and Thomas Raoult participated in the « Vienna International Choir Festival » and were awarded the Gold Medal.
SOPHIA REIN
Born in Paris in 1971, I grew up between Munich and the south of France, influenced by my mother’s art.Since 2006 I work as independant Artist and certified Trainer in Luxembourg.A graduate of law and political sciences, I also worked in the field of Human Resources and Communication before embarking on studies in Art History and Art Pedagogy.My Passion for art and my commitment to touch as many People as possible with the art bug has lead me to develop my own Business including a personaliyed art decoration concept for each Client.
Life, Living, People, Landscapes, Cities, Architecture inspire me and my work.Looking at real life through a camera lense stimulates my creative need to adapt it, to make it more colorful, more dynamic, more fun, more exciting!The merge of photography and painting creates an subtle artistic contrast and a new perspective between vision and impression.The black and White picture view of the world, offers a perfect base for my creation…An exciting beginning, a new Vision of reality…
My children Art studio is a place where children can create, discover new technics, enjoy painting and have fun! I keep the courses very flexible and adapt them to the age of the children: water color, mix media, acrylic, oil pastels, wax crayons, collage…
I’m convinced about the positive influence of art on our way of thinking and how art encourages us to find creative solutions. It engages people outside of their normal professional environment and stimulates them to think in new ways. Beyond logical thinking and analysis, art fosters emotional competencies that are needed for today’s business demands for creative skills and initiative.Together with a professional trainer-coach, I developed several art-based corporate training courses for team building and developing creativity.
Sophia Rein
Stephan Kinsch
Stephan Kinsch is an executive coach and clown. He co-created Plateforme.lu, a network of independent consultants in Luxembourg and Fonds Plateforme.lu, a foundation through which he shares his revenues with social projects. He also founded and manages Bebop, a company dedicated to executive coaching and training. In a former life, Stefan was a member of the managing board of Groupe Ciments Luxembourgeois and held the position of "Réviseur d'Entreprises Agrée" at KPMG. Stéphane's career as an executive manager was instantly stopped when he announced that he needed more time to take care of his kids. He became an opponent to the system, a clown!Stephan performs as a clown and is secretary of the circus school Zaltimbanq' in Luxembourg where he lives with his family.
Der dänische Tanzlehrer und Gründer der Zirkusschule MMCC Kabul
Sozialer Kinderzirkus in Kabul
In Afghanistan gibt es viel Schlimmes: Krieg, Terrorismus und Unterdrückung. Doch daneben hat SRF-Korrespondentin Karin Wenger auch viel Schönes gefunden – zum Beispiel eine Zirkusschule in Kabul. Ein Däne hat sie 2002 gegründet, um mit 1000 Dollar Kinder zum Lachen zu bringen.
Als die Taliban 2001 aus Kabul vertrieben wurden, strömten unzählige Ausländer ins Land, um Geschäfte zu machen. Aber nicht nur sie kamen. Auch der dänische Tanzlehrer David Mason reiste nach Kabul, um eine höchst ungewöhnliche Initiative zu starten: eine soziale Zirkusschule. Ende vergangenen Jahres sind nun die Nato-Truppen offiziell abgezogen und mit ihnen all jene, die Geschäfte gemacht haben. Mason und seine Zirkusschule sind jedoch immer noch da.
Er sagt: «Kurz nach dem Krieg kannte Afghanistan nur eines: Die Kultur des Überlebens. Alle brachten Medizin, Geld, Sicherheit, Nahrung. Niemand dachte, dass Schönheit, Freude, Glück, Theater und Kultur auch wichtig sind. Aber diese Eigenschaften und Aktivitäten brauchen wir, um den Überlebenskampf zu beenden, das Gute zu kultivieren.»
Mit dem Gelernten die Gemeinschaft bereichern
Sein Erfolg gibt Mason recht. In den vergangenen Jahren haben er und seine Partnerin Berit Muhlhausen Zirkusschulen in fünf Provinzen eröffnet. In Flüchtlingslagern und Waisenhäusern im ganzen Land haben sie zudem sogenannte «Funtainers», Schiffscontainer, die zu kleinen Bühnen und Lernzentren umgewandelt wurden, aufgestellt und mit Bällen, Keulen und Malstiften ausgerüstet. Das Budget ist mit 500'000 Dollar bescheiden und kommt von NGO und Botschaften. Das Konzept funktioniert nach dem Schneeballprinzip: Wer in einer der Zirkusschulen gelernt hat, bringt das Wissen in seine Gemeinschaften zurück, um damit andere zu bereichern.
Mehr als blosse Unterhaltung
Die Kinder kommen oft morgens vor der Schule, um ihre Zirkuskünste zu verbessern: Jonglieren, Einradfahren, Akrobatik-Kunststücke. Aber der Minizirkus ist mehr als blosse Unterhaltung, sagt Gründer Mason. «Wer jonglieren will oder eine menschliche Pyramide formt, der muss ein höheres Bewusstsein für seinen Körper und seine Mitmenschen entwickeln. Deshalb sind wir ein sozialer Zirkus, weil wir im Team arbeiten. Diesen Teamgeist bringen die Schülerinnen und Schüler zurück in ihre Gemeinschaften, wo sie achtsamer miteinander umgehen.»
Speaker of the day
Born on 26 september 2006 in St Martin, Dutch Antilles.
Initiator en co-organizer of the Mobile Mini Circus for Children Home Garden Concerts.
Pupil of the Dutch section of the European School, third year. She loves to draw and paint and organizing events.
When she was a 2 month old baby, 2 American tourists visiting St. Martin, were telling her parents: ´she´s going to be an artist!!!`. Or maybe an activist ;)?!?!.........Who knows?!
