Two weeks ago in our border cities from 14-18.11.2012 took place City twin Conference 2012 for all members of The City Twins Association: Valka, Valga, Imatra, Ivangorod, Svetogorsk, Narva We have invited deputies from each city and groups of young artists. Our conference is a part of two year project “Youth Network of Coty Twins Association”. In this period of time is included a lot of actions, exchanges and events. Previous one took part also in Frankfurt and Słubice, City Twin Youth Camp.
Our conference was divided on two parts: one for officials and second one for young artist. Deputies from the cities had meetings each day to discuss the future of City Twin Association and next actions included in the project. Second part was concerning cultural groups. They spent here five days on getting to know each other, exploring our cities and presentations. They had a lot of performances on the special City Twin concert and also Polish and German schools. At schools young people (in the same age but sometimes younger than them) watched their show and had opportunity to ask questions and get to know interesting facts about this young artists. It was important experience for both sides: pupils could learn some new information about City Twins and also about people who are leaving there, and young artists could present their talents in front of people in the same age. Let me tell something more about the concert. This event took place on the second day of our common adventure, in the center of the music of Fanfarengarde. Firstly whole day they spent on the trainings and preparations for performances. It was so nice to watch them during trainings! With smiles on their faces we could feel how much fun it is for them! We just watched them and we knew that it is their passion and they love to do it. It was just the rehearsal so could you imagine how amazing the real concert was?! Concert was in the evening and everybody was invited. Before the concert we interview all groups and we got to know a lot of surprising and interesting information.
Aigors and Pāvels are from Valka, Latvia. They are dancing Breakdance and HipHop. Dance is their big passion, they cannot imagine their lives without dance. Live is dancing and they are training this skills everywhere! Their adventure with dancing last over 8 years. Aigors’s sister draw him to dance, and Pāvels just start to move in the rhythm of music and he loved this! this is how it starts for then and lasts over today.
From Valga, Estonia came to present their talents 11 dancers. They are dancing 2 years together. Most of them started their dance career when they were 5/6 years old. They are dancing show dance, modern dance and female dance. They have own trainer, but they are creating choreographic together. Dance is their great love, and they are dancing because in the city is nothing to do what is that creative and gives a lot fun! Usually they perform in the city and it was their first performance abroad. Some of them also can sing, play baseball and dance standard dances.
Next our guest came from Valka. Sabine is 20 years student, but in free time she is a great singer. Singing is her passion since 11 years. She like to sing covers and always try new things. She is saying that she has only one live and she wants to try everything.
Singers came also from Ivangorod: Mikhail, Alisa, Elizaveta. They all are singing as a trio, duo and also solo. They are 21 years old and singing is one of their hobbies. The interesting thing about them is that they do not have a teacher and all knowledge about singing they learnt on their own. They just listen their favorite artists and they are trying to sing in the same way. Mikhail usually is singing about music and love, and on the concert as a trio they sang a song about the best city of the world.
The biggest surprise were boys from Narva, Estonia. Three 10 years boys: Reinhardt, Edvin and Arseniy are members of the music school. They are singing together 2 years. When I asked them why they are singing they answered: 
Arseniy – “In the future I want to become a professional singer”, Edvin – “This is just a lovely busy”, Reinhardt –“ Singing is a big part of my life. I’m singing all the time and everywhere”. Beyond singing there are also playing instruments: Arseniy – Accordion, Reinhardt – Guitar and Edvin – Piano. Their teacher proposed them one day to create this trio and thanks for that we could watch them during the concert. They are singing usually traditional songs. With them came also pianist. For her, music is a big part of her life. She wrote the notes and accords for all songs she played for boys. Her biggest hobby is mushrooming.
Last group came from Imatra, Finland. It was a rock band “Mindbound” consist 5 members. Jethro is singer and guitarist, Julius is playing guitar and “screaming”, Henri is bassist, Aleksi is keyboard player and Juho is drummer. The average of the age is 18 years old. They are writing music and lyrics on their own. Songs are in English and all of them have an effect on this songs. Usually their concerts are in Imatra. When I asked them about what kind of music they are playing, the answer wasn’t really clear. “It is hard to tell”, but finally they agreed on Melodic metal with Rock and Roll elements. Idols? From the beginning they have been their own Idols.
All of the participants had a lot of fun and also experienced something special, something what can give then new point of view. This possibility to explore this project and exchange opinions and talents let them open on new things and new ideas.
Deputies made a lot of important decisions for the Association and invent new great ideas which would have important impact on the young people in all cities. They are looking forward to new challenges and hope that our Association would develop in the right direction with great future!
However we, Kompetenzteam, hope that in the future City Twin Association would be creator of great Youth Network of the young people and let them exchange, implement ideas and be active in their own communities because Young people it’s our FUTURE!
Autor: Natalia Rzeszowska, Slubice-speaker of the competenceteam , one of the moderators of the concert