Ethno Germany at Burg Lichtenberg

Ethno — A Global Educational Program

The Ethno program was launched in 1990 in Sweden by Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) and is now one of the most important intercultural educational programs for young musicians worldwide. Ethno camps are held annually in over twenty-five countries, bringing together young folk and world musicians aged 18 to 30 to teach and learn pieces from their respective home cultures. Methodologically, Ethno strictly follows the peer-to-peer principle: each participant is simultaneously a teacher and a learner, each brings pieces from their culture and passes them on to the group.

Burg Lichtenberg as the Festival Venue

For several years, Burg Lichtenberg in Thallichtenberg, the largest castle ruin in the Palatinate region, has been the venue for Ethno Germany. The unique castle backdrop, the rural surroundings of West Palatinate, and the spatial possibilities of the complex offer optimal conditions for a ten-day camp with around forty participants. Rehearsals take place in various rooms of the castle, meals are communal, and accommodation is provided in the castle's own hotel and in nearby lodgings.

Musical Methodology

During the camp phase, participants develop a common repertoire composed of contributions from everyone present. This can include music from Sweden, Slovenia, Senegal, Argentina, India, or Japan — whatever the participants bring from their homeland. These pieces are translated into polyphonic arrangements, developed instrumentally and vocally, and finally performed in several public concerts. These concerts are the public face of Ethno Germany and take place at Burg Lichtenberg and other locations in the region.

An Extraordinary Encounter

Ethno Germany is more than just a festival: it is an intercultural encounter project that brings young people from all continents together. Language barriers are overcome through the universal language of music, prejudices are dismantled through direct interaction, and new friendships are formed that often last for years. For Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland and for the region, Ethno Germany is a cultural flagship that firmly anchors West Palatinate on the international map of folk and world music.