One of “the clandestine stars of the German jazz scene“ as Die Zeit writes. Schaefer received the ECHO Jazz for his achievements, his range of musical forms of expression has many layers, from Hardcore Punk to Miles Davis – none of it is a contradiction in terms for him. He already has around 40 records out as a band leader, composer and sideman. If there was a Nobel Prize for drumming, Eric Schaefer would be a hot candidate for it, says The Rolling Stone.
The drummer and composer Eric Schaefer lives in Berlin and works with different ensembles of his own and as a sideman. The range of his musical expression is wide and combines influences from Jazz, contemporary music to post-rock, dub and noise. He is writing pieces for orchestras, piano-trios and jazz-rock-bands. The use of gongs and small percussion as well as modular synthesis broaden the spectrum of Schaefer´s sound-possibilities. His work with Michael Wollny, Joachim Kühn or his own formations The Shredz and Kyoto Mon Amour is documented on numerous albums and is broadcasted in radio-shows and on television.
PHOTO: Jörg Steinmetz
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Bishop Dr. Christian Stäblein
Christian Stäblein, born in 1967, grew up in Hanover where his mother was one of the first pastors of the Hanover State Church. After completing his studies in Protestant Theology in Göttingen and Berlin, as well as courses in Jewish studies, philosophy and law, he was ordained as a pastor in the year 2000.
He was ordained a pastor in 2000 while completing his doctorate on "Preaching after the Holocaust" at the Unviersity of Göttingen. After three years as a parish priest and later as Director of Studies at the seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover, he moved to Berlin as a newly elected provost of the Oberlausitz Evangelical Church (EKBO) and theological leader of the consistory where he headed the “Theology and Church Life” department. On April 5, 2019, he was elected as Bishop of the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia.
Christian Stäblein is the father of four children and an avidd football fan, likes going to the theater and playing table tennis. He sees a challenge in coping with the increasing polarization in society - whether it is about rescuing refugees at sea, dealing with the AfD or dealing with climate change. For him, the church is a "narrative community" about God and his people. As a bishop he feels it is important to be an "eye-catcher", one who does not look away, who asks uncomfortable questions and goes to the niches where society and the church do not like to look.
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