Previous Articles

Multicultural Cypriot Brass-band Makes Berlin Groove

The Cypriot band 'Windcraft' was guest of honour at various Berlin venues

November 20th, 2014
Daniel Erhardt, News from Berlin
20160720_Cypriot-Brass-band.jpg

Windcraft’s guest appearances received support from the Culture Department of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus to the Federal Republic of Germany. The band made an appearance during three different events throughout the weekend. The events took place from Saturday July 16th until Monday July 18th. The multicultural band performed their multi-culturally inspired rhythms for the capital city’s audiences.

Last Saturday, July 16th, saw the band perform at the 26th edition of the “Hafenfest” (“Harbour-Fest”) at the Historical Harbour on the Berlin Museum Island, together with the local “Zentralkapelle” band. On Sunday, they made an appearance at the 24th Lesbian and Gay City Fest, which was taking place at nearby Nollendorfplatz in the Schöneberg district. Finally, on Monday, July 18th, they performed at the “Wurstfest” near the “Konnopke” snack bar on Schönhauser Allee.

The band in question, 'Windcraft', who are based in Cyprus, was formed in 2013 by around twenty enthusiastic musicians from very different cultural backgrounds. This also ensures that their music is inspired by a large variety of influences: funky and latin groove remain the basis for other rhythms such as swing, rock, but also Greek traditional Folk sounds and Balkan tunes.

The ensemble is formed mainly by teachers and students from the Windcraft Music Center in Cyprus' capital city Nicosia, which specializes in the teaching of wind musical instruments, piano and percussion. However, the band also broadens its membership to any other musicians playing woodwind and brass instruments.

Another feature that highlights cultural exchange as a paramount principle of the band's activity is the regular joint collaboration in interchange programs and common concerts with other similar European musical groups. An example is the Berlin-based 'Zentralkapelle' band, with whom they performed with at the Hafenfest on July 16th, having already performed at joint concerts in the Cypriot cities of Nicosia and Limassol last October.

News from Berlin