Say No!
Say No! aims to contribute in a creative fashion to the debate concerning strategies for peace. Participants in the project are choirs and smaller vocal ensembles from all over the world. Together we sing “No to war” and “Yes” to the refusal to collaborate to war and destruction. Our songs want to honour deserters and all those refusing to participate in war. Both the live performance and the international project represent a call to “Flee the Frenzy”: say NO to the utter madness of war and weaponry.
About the Project
A new composition commissioned by Brussels Brecht-Eislerkoor has been a source of inspiration for over thirty choirs and ensembles, each of which has recorded a song on desertion and the refusal of war. All these contributions can be seen on this website in a random order.
These sounds and images, in combination with a number of testimonies, supplied the material for the creation of a video work of art by Jan Vromman and edited by Jasper Flikschuh.
The screen projection interacted with live music by Dick van der Harst and his ensemble of musicians, a live animation by Laura Vandenwynckel and some ninety singers from Brussels (Brecht-Eislerkoor, Novecanto and Stemmer), during a live performance on 22 January 2017.
All the material available is used by Jan Vromman, in collaboration with Brussels production house Les Mecs, to build a virtual monument to the deserter. This installation, centred on a video in a three dimensional environment will be available for exhibits and events elsewhere.
With Say No we issue a call to Flee the Frenzy: say no to the madness of war and the misery and destruction it entails.
Credits
director and video Jan Vromman | text Elvis Peeters and others | music Dick Van der Harst | Wim Koninck | Wim Segers Lieselot | De Wilde and many others | montage Jasper Flikschuh | conducter Lieve Franssen | Peter Spaepen | Dominique Maes | choirs Brussels Brecht-Eislerkoor| Stemmer | Novecanto and many other | visuals Les Mecs | live animation Laura vandewynckel testimonials Javier Garante | Piet Chielens | co-production Kaaitheater | and many more
“Someday they'll give a war and nobody will come”
Carl Sandburg >1936
