HUMAN music

HUMAN music – official album trailer

For its composition, composer and project initiator Helge Burggrabe was inspired by the 30 UN human rights and the Earth Charter The sixty-minute suite for orchestra and percussion comprises 13 pieces. In these, life values and longings that connect people of all generations and cultures on this earth “resound”. HUMAN music provides the basis and inspiration for the HUMAN music, dance and education projects.

Conductors, orchestras and musicians are warmly invited to use the HUMAN score, for example, to set impressive accents for more humanity with a concert or a concert reading.

Questions and Answers

Where can I listen to the HUMAN music?

The HUMAN music can be purchased as a CD via the online store des Kulturbüros Helge Burggrabe erworben werden oder als CD und Vinyl beispielsweise über amazon. Schools, orchestras and theatres can obtain the CD at the special price of 12€/CD (plus postage). Request gladly here.
You can also find the HUMAN album at all known streaming providers: SpotifyApple MusicamazonDeezerTidalQobuz.
Music videos for individual pieces of the HUMAN Suite can be found auf unserem YouTube channel. In the HUMAN album trailer composer Helge Burggrabe and British conductor Duncan Ward outline their approaches to the composition.

Who composed the HUMAN music?

The internationally active composer and artist Helge Burggrabe (*1973) initiated the HUMAN International Culture Project and composed HUMAN music for it, a 60-minute suite for orchestra and percussion. For him, HUMAN is “an urgent call to breathe new life into UN human rights 75 years after their declaration, using the means of expressive music, dance performance and creative human rights education, especially in today’s world.” You can find more about Helge Burggrabe here.

What are the topics of the HUMAN music?

The HUMAN music focuses on 13 basic themes of human existence and follows a circle of life: it begins with birth, and in short pieces of music brings to life needs such as breath, hunger and thirst, as well as the life values of freedom, equality, brotherhood, love, home, protection and community. The music also expresses dimensions of the right to work, rest or creativity and the inevitable death. HUMAN thus addresses life values and longings that connect people of all generations, cultures, life circumstances and world views on this earth.
The conviction of Albert Schweitzer “I am life that wants to live, in the midst of life that wants to live” characterizes the HUMAN vision and activities. Guiding principles are the UN Human Rights and the Earth Charter.

Where can I get the score of the HUMAN music?

We are happy to provide the study score to interested conductors, orchestras and musicians. Just contact us here.

Who played the HUMAN music?

The sixty-minute suite for orchestra and percussion was recorded with the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin, Canadian-Palestinian pianist John Kameel Farah, and Elbtonal Percussion under the direction of British conductor Duncan Ward.

Worldwide, the HUMAN CD was released by the Label Berlin Classics / Neue Meister on August 13, 2021.

Are there explanations for each piece of music?

Helge Burggrabe has outlined his thoughts on the 13 pieces of music. You can download the texts contained in the CD booklet in different languages here: Deutsch , English

For which orchestra instrumentation was the HUMAN music written?

The original line-up includes 41 musicians:

  • 8 violins 1
  • 6 violins 2
  • 4 viola
  • 3 violoncello
  • 2 double bass
  • 2 flutes
  • 1 oboe
  • 2 clarinets B
  • 2 horns F
  • 2 trumpets
  • 2 trombones
  • 1 bass tuba
  • 5 Percussion: marimba, taiko drum, vibraphone, bass drum, tam-tam, tubular bells, cymbals, timpani
  • 1 piano

A smaller line-up with 30 musicians is also possible. (13 strings, 11 winds, 5 percussion, 1 piano).

When and where did a HUMAN Community Dance premiere take place?

The HUMAN Community Dance premiere took place at the Theater Bremen on 28 and 29 August 2021. The choreography came from the team around Wilfried van Poppel and Amaya Lubeigt from DE LooPERS-dance2getherhere for the premiere film.

Another premiere took place on 24 September 2021 with 60 young people from Brussels-Molenbeek, also under the direction of Wilfried van Poppel, Amaya Lubeigt and their team (performance venue: Royal Flemish Theatre). You can find a short film with impressions here.

Ideas for interpreting HUMAN music in dance can be found in our “First Dance Impressions” film series, you can find it here.

You can find more movies on our YouTube channel.

I have more questions, who can I contact?

You can find more answers in our Fragen und Antworten on the following topics  HUMAN musicHUMAN danceHUMAN education and Donation. In addition, you are always welcome to contact us here .

HUMAN dance

Connecting HUMAN music with community dance projects.

HUMAN education

Support educational projects on human rights education.

“For me, it was natural to take part in a project on the topic of “human rights” because, in my opinion, human rights in themselves are a matter of course. Every person in the world should have the same chances and opportunities to live a happy and fulfilling life. We all know that there is still a long way to go and that is why we should keep campaigning for a fairer world. Being able to do this in such a creative way as in the “HUMAN” project was of course also fun, despite the serious background.“

Jennifer Großer

Social education worker at the Tannenhof girls’ residential group on the film project HUMANrights – 75 years of human rights

‘It’s great how HUMAN music and dancing together open the doors to a new shared school living and learning space. Here, the 160 students, 32 teachers and 41 educators involved come together without language to form a large community: what a wonderful plea for more humanity across all borders.’

Margaretha Bennert-Bürgler

Deputy Head of School at St. Franziskus School about the vision of the inclusive, intergenerational HUMAN Community Dance project in cooperation with St. Benno-Gymnasium (Dresden, November 2024)

‘Dance creates connection. The HUMAN project allows the often abstract idea of human rights to be visualised through movement. Humanity is the ability to develop a deeper understanding of each other and a stronger connection through shared experiences and forms of expression.’

Tami Lou Ollhäuser

Teacher, Gemeinschaftsschule Gebhard Konstanz, director of the HUMAN Community Dance Project (October 2024)

‘Dance means learning with all the senses and with the body. A project that translates human rights into dance opens up a valuable experiential space to experience the foundations of social coexistence, such as tolerance, respect, cooperation and communication, on a completely different level.’

Charlotte Dreßen

Director, Gebhard Community School Constance, HUMAN Community Dance Project (October 2024)

‘Community is reflected in the interactions of our students. Where, if not in dance, can togetherness open up a space for so much more?’

Ann-Kathrin Speidel

Teacher, Gemeinschaftsschule Gebhard Konstanz, HUMAN Community Dance Project (October 2024)

“The HUMAN Project is designed to empower young people and help them flourish!”

Helge Burggrabe

HUMAN Initiator and composer of HUMAN music

“Even the first rehearsal together was full of touching, humorous, tense moments. It was a great feeling to experience how intensively the students had already engaged with human rights and music. I’m looking forward to the big performance in June.”

Lena Simon

Cultural Office of the City of Wolfenbüttel, Head of the HUMAN Project at the Lessingtheater Wolfenbüttel

“The German-Polish student encounter week in connection with the HUMAN project days was the most impressive thing that ever took place at our secondary school. The 45 children from Germany, Ukraine, Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Northern Macedonia, Hungary, Syria, Spain and Peru also rose above themselves in the Community Dance. What a touching and moving sign for more humanity!”

Gabriele Lechner

Headmaster of Pfeffenhausen Primary and Secondary School on the HUMAN Community Dance Workshop with the partner school Szkoła Podstawowa Poland

“Participating in the Human International Cultural Dance Project in Pfeffenhausen was an unforgettable adventure and a beautiful learning experience for the Polish students.”

Barbara Dzikowska

Barbara Dzikowska, teacher and partnership officer, on the HUMAN Community Dance Workshop, Szkoła Podstawowa and Pfeffenhausen Primary and Secondary School

“The dance project was very special. It was so nice to see how much joy the impaired people had to be able to dance with us.”

Anina Hartmann

Participant of the first inclusive HUMAN project in June 2021, Rudolf Steiner School Zürcher Oberland/Wetzikon

“Unbelievable what the group has worked out on human rights in such a short time. The implementation turned out beautifully and touched me very much.”

Mirjam Rohde

Class teacher 12a, on the HUMAN dance project at the Ida-Ehre-Gemeinschaftsschule, Bad Oldesloe (March 2023)

“Very much I hope that many will be inspired by the innovative and exciting HUMAN Culture Project and the young people’s commitment to human rights. It is with pleasure that our university contributes to this.”

Karin Luckey

Rektorin der Hochschule Bremen (bis 8/2023)

“The project was a completely new dance experience and a really nice togetherness, without any pressure of grades. We could all get involved and problems were dealt with directly.”

Nele

Pupil of the 12th grade on the HUMAN dance project at the Ida-Ehre-Gemeinschaftsschule Bad Oldesloe (March 2023)

“During the project we started to think more about the topic of human rights. The thoughts about the fact that some privileges like the right to work or education do not exist in many countries did not let us go. We don’t even think about it anymore because we seem to take these rights for granted, but through the intense immersion through movement and words, we realized how much we still have to struggle in this area.”

Eva Beilharz und Merle Horn

Pupils of the 12th grade of the Freie Waldorfschule in Freudenstadt.

“Young people who are interested in people in other countries develop a deep understanding of a Europe of diversity, of a Europe of peace and democracy. This is the great pound of this school partnership and the HUMAN performance for it a powerful, distinctive sign.”

Ruth Müller, MdL (SPD)

Deputy Chairwoman of the SPD in the Bavarian State Parliament, County Councilor in the County of Landshut

“It was an exciting and intense week where the students pushed themselves to their limits while living ‘humanity’ with grace and energy. A wonderful experience for all involved!”

Barbara Meyer und Annette Bildhauer

Teachers at the Gymnasium am Wall in Verden/Aller

“The HUMAN International Culture Project as a process of human rights education honours human rights and also all the contributors to it.”

Gerhard Ziener

Author and Lecturer, Pedagogical-Theological Centre Stuttgart

“Don’t be afraid to be big, it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

Joana Laranjeira

Participant of the “Five days to dance” Erasmus+ project in Meppel, The Netherlands

“Well, I think human rights are an incredibly brilliant idea! That man as a species, which is very much characterized by ‘survival of the fittest’, can conceive of such ideals of equality, freedom and connectedness, that is a phenomenal achievement.”

Morten Reisemann

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

“A project like HUMAN emphasizes what unites all people and makes us think about how important human rights are. I’m happy to contribute to making society more aware of their importance.”

Julio Fernández

Conductor of the HUMAN Community premiere Bremen

“For me, HUMAN is the chance of an intercultural embrace between people who value life.”

David Cisternas

Violinist and dramaturge of the Konsonanz chamber ensemble

“HUMAN offers an inspiring and empowering opportunity for youth and all others involved to work together on an artistic project, and with a focus on the values, needs, and desires common to all people, to creatively counter the current tide of global issues that are shaking our inner stability.”

Susan Barnett

HUMAN Community Dance choreography team

“Dancing together is so wonderful. Because dance is a great language that all people understand. I take great joy in expressing the 13 pieces on being human. I’ve really been bitten by the dance bug!”

Yeroh Saw

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

“For me, the HUMAN performance expressed a new human right, as essential as any other: the right to be who you are!”

Yann Lenggenhager

History Teacher, Lead Educator Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, Switzerland

“With HUMAN, we want to encourage young people to develop their personal strengths and visions with the goal of going their own way as part of a free and tolerant society.

Kurt de Prins

Principal of IMELDA High School in Molenbeek

“The HUMAN project means for us as a label: empathy and enthusiasm to put the UN human rights in music and dance in a completely new way in sound and image.”

Marcus Heinicke

Senior Product Manager at Edel Kultur/Berlin Classics

“The HUMAN evening carried us away. Mutual union and decoding of movement and music. Profound and joyful at the same time. A moving reminder of human rights, which are so precious and so threatened.”

Katharina Vollmer

Pastor, Swiss German Reformed Parish of Geneva, on the HUMAN performance on UN Human Rights Day, Dec. 10, 2022 at the Temple de Madeleine.

“More than ever, our world needs humanity. So I am very happy that HUMAN wants to overcome opposites with young people in order to realize the dream of equality and unity of cultures in a loving and humane way.”

Aldegonde Brenninkmeijer-Werhahn

Initiator of the HUMAN performance in Brussels

“For me, HUMAN is about essentials: beyond language and cultural barriers, we are all first and foremost human beings – with bodies that want to move. Community dance can break down walls and build bridges! So let’s dance!”

Nanni Kloke

Leitung HUMAN Choreographie Team

“For me, dance makes my world better. I tell stories and images with it. It’s something very unique, intimate, and at the same time, very communal.”

Mina Raschiatore

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

“Dancing together is an ideal platform to meet each other with openness, respect and acceptance.”

Wilfried van Poppel

Choreography HUMAN Community Dance premiere and direction of HUMAN school projects “Five days to dance”.

“It is a very special opportunity to share with others and through HUMAN and dance theater to bring body movements, images and demands for human rights such as freedom, equality, creativity … forever into the world.”

Pablo García Bartolomé

Psychologist specializing in art therapy, community health and health education.

“Being HUMAN is our reality, but feeling HUMAN is our right. Through this project and through dance, we want to invite participants to love and express life, to feel, to understand and to work together for a better world.”

Amaya Lubeigt

Choreography HUMAN Community Dance premiere and direction of HUMAN school projects.

“Movement arises out of itself, that’s how I dance. Doing this for human rights holds archaic moments and touches my heart – it is healing. Taking the movement of our VALUES into the world is just wonderful.”

Andrea M. Nossem

Participant of the HUMAN dance project with free dance in munich, germany.

“It’s about self-confidence. HUMAN is a very beautiful project where you can express yourself, and I think that’s great.”

Rita Pereira

Participant of the “Five days to dance” – Erasmus project in the Lernhaus am Campus in Osterholz-Scharmbeck

“Edris – a young Afghan who danced in this project won my heart! Between despair and tears in his eyes from laughter, he made me live through everything in the four days. At the end, he gave me a Turkish euro, which he probably had with him as a good luck charm on his escape. It was really as if someone was pressing a gold treasure into my hand out of sheer gratitude of being seen. THAT touched and impressed me deeply.”

Nina Baldinger

Choreographer, leader of a HUMAN community dance project in Freiburg (2022), with 20 people from 7 different nations.

“Participation in the Human Project has given me the opportunity, through the expression of dance, to recognize and communicate universal sensations and feelings of human rights in a wonderful and, for me, unknown atmosphere. Both in terms of the artistic situation and the group of people who participated in this project. A hug for all of you!”

Gloria Madrigal Mir

Participant in a HUMAN dance project in Asturias, summer 2022

“Expressing in free dance what shows up moment to moment on these compositions by Helge Burggrabe on elemental themes of being human, unites us as a group and brings our individual expression of humanity to the world. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for this great gift!”

Oranna Erb

Direction of the HUMAN dance project with free dance in Munich

“The idea of the Human Project is to bring young people together, to give them a voice so they can be heard individually and collectively.”

Royston Maldoom

Artistic accompaniment choreography

“With a dance project like HUMAN, everyone can participate. There is consideration for one’s own abilities and the best is brought out.”

Madita Brünjes

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

“To participate in a community dance project means for me to be able to express myself without borders. In HUMAN, this is how we present the basic rights of humanity, which unfortunately are not respected in many countries.”

Sandra Calvo Pastor

Ensemble member, HUMAN dance premiere Bremen

» We are tonight in the HUMAN dance project spectators or participants of a new human-human relationship without ifs and buts. […] The only essential thing is the encounter at the same eye level in the presence of the full individuality of each other. «

Domenig Christian Gaegauf

Initiator of the first inclusive HUMAN dance project in Switzerland (June 2021)

“A great project! I wish all participants deep lasting and happy impressions and encounters. I would love to dance along immediately! Hopefully the message will also reach places and people where it is especially needed, so that human rights can really be rights of all people.”

Julia Jentsch

Film and theater actress

“Human rights are the minimum framework on the basis of which the individual can develop. Therefore, they must be collectively demanded and protected. In the workshop team formed by Amaya and Wilfried, we are all pieces of a beautiful puzzle whose elements fit together to form a whole. But the message is never clear, it requires audience members who are challenged by what happens on stage.”

Angélica López de la Manzanara

Lawyer, participant in the HUMAN Community Dance project in Asturias in the summer of 2022.

“Human encounter in movement, where the spark jumps before the dance begins. And suddenly we spectators are also part of this warm-hearted community of people who are all on our way.

Semya Ayoubi

Visitor to the HUMAN Community Dance performance at the inclusive European Congress “Moving Borders” 16.6.2022, Zurich

“Dancing with people is always very moving and fills the heart immensely, especially when you see so many different people who didn’t know each other before dancing a piece like HUMAN together on stage.”

Susanne Eule

Choreographer, director of a HUMAN community dance project in Freiburg (2022) with 20 people from 7 nations.

The moving engagement with human rights set positive processes in motion in the participants and promoted and enriched communication between all.

Katharina Gutzeit

Dance teacher and cultural mediator, leader of a HUMAN dance project at the Ida-Ehre-Gemeinschaftsschule Bad Oldesloe (2023)

“It fills me with great joy and confidence to weave in free dance, together with other dancers, the loving, appreciative togetherness of the human family.”

Vera Griebert-Schröder

Participant of the HUMAN project with free dance and Conscious Dance, Munich

“The music and the dance express what cannot be said and about which it is impossible to be silent. Man must not be silent and must not be silenced. That is why we dance.”

Mareike Windorf

Managing Director, German Chamber Orchestra Berlin

“Project HUMAN is about all of us. Regardless of your skin color, country of origin, age, background, disability or culture, it’s about you. And it’s a privilege to be a part of it!”

Albino Moura

Principal Escola de Dança Lugar Presente, Viseu-Portugal, partner in the Erasmus project
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