With 38 singers and seven musicians, the Emmer pirate choir De Stormvogels has been making good progress since 1999, but some rejuvenation is not a superfluous luxury. The youngest member Hilvert Wessels from Valthe therefore hopes for (young) growth.
At the age of 56, Wessels is the benjamin of the choir, which practices the broad repertoire every Tuesday evening in Erica’s village hall. The Valthenaar has been part of De Stormvogels for six years, where he feels at home from day one. The friendly fifties became sold when he once saw De Stormvogels perform on the city floor of butterfly city Emmen. “We are all very normal men, who are only too happy to perform together,” says Wessels. “Everyone is themselves and the most important thing is to have fun.”
However, nothing came of performance during the two corona years. To the horror of Wessels, among others, who says that the loyal members of De Stormvogels did not leave the ship during that difficult time. The polyphonic and multilingual pirates are and remain enthusiastic, but do not lose sight of the fact that the average age of the versatile choir is over 70 on the high side.
In any case, a stroke of luck is the recent arrival of the experienced conductor Rian van Randwijk from Erm, who knows how to forge a whole of the group of men based on feeling. They live in Emmen, Schoonebeek, Coevorden, Sleen and Ter Apel, among others. In his own words, Wessels ‘cannot read a note’. Purely by feeling and of course with the help of his hearing, he nevertheless sings along nicely.
Weekly rehearsal
Wessels invariably travels to the weekly rehearsal together with his former colleague Siert van der Leest. ,,The practice evenings are useful and fun, but performing is of course even better. Then there is an audience and there is interaction with the people. That people clap along and join in? That’s what we do it for together. Of course there is time for a joke, but we also do our best and really put something down. We have also already visited Latvia and Germany. In the Netherlands I already sang in Dordrecht, Den Helder, Vlaardingen and Elburg, among others.”
Realistically, Wessels fears that the choir will be really too old in a few years’ time and that – without young additions – it will be the end of practice. “Let’s hope for new members who are considerably younger than the average age of the choir.” And what is Wessels’ favorite song to sing? ,, Conquest of Paradise van Vangelis I sing solo on behalf of De Stormvogels.”
More information about the choir can be found here pirate choir.destormvogels.nl