Visitors will be greeted by Johannes Trümpler at the organ, and the Wildbird Rescue Station Kirchwald e.V. will portray the species mentioned in the organ pieces and also show recordings of these birds. Admission is free. Various works by Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992) will be performed.
He was one of the most significant composers of the 20th century and also a passionate ornithologist. For years, he collected bird calls and incorporated them in fascinating ways into many of his organ works. In this concert, the bird calls from Messiaen's works will be combined with real recordings of the birds from the Wildbird Rescue Station Kirchwald. The organist Johannes Trümpler is the regional cantor and director of the church music office in Zell within the Diocese of Trier.
He studied church music, piano pedagogy, and organ at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln.
As a former cathedral organist of Dresden Cathedral and abbey organist of the Abbey of Maria Laach, Trümpler is an experienced concert organist and improviser.
Since 2024, he has also been actively involved with the Wildbird Rescue Station Kirchwald e.V., where encounters with the animals inspired the idea for this project.
The Wildbird Rescue Station Kirchwald e.V., located in close proximity to Langenfeld, was founded in 1984 by Helga Steffens and now cares for around 3,000 injured or orphaned wild birds and hedgehogs per year on two properties.
A team of over 20 full-time and volunteer animal caregivers, as well as veterinarians, looks after the care and rehabilitation of the animals.
This concert for nature and humanity encourages reflection on humanity's relationship with creation – especially in times of species extinction and climate crisis. At the same time, it showcases the beauty of music and the animal world in a rarely experienced combination.