Three Star-Studded Concerts, One Cause: "Channel Aid Live in Concert" Delivers Music and Momentum

At around 9:30 p.m. on a Tuesday at the end of October, the curtain rises at the sold-out Hamburg Schauspielhaus. The approximately 1,100 attendees hold their breath. An awed silence fills the hall. Bathed in deep red light, the stage comes alive with musicians and instruments. Rea Garvey’s band occupies the center of the front of the stage, flanked on either side by the Hamburg Voices choir, while the rear of the stage is taken up by the 65-member Lufthansa Orchestra. 

Shortly after the first notes ring out, Rea Garvey, the star of the evening, steps onto the stage – and the audience erupts. From the very first moment, the audience is on its feet. Standing ovations follow nearly every song. People dance between the rows of chairs and sing along passionately to hits like "Supergirl" and "Halo." The applause Garvey repeatedly draws for the Lufthansa Orchestra and its conductor, Steven Lloyd-Gonzalez, is thunderous. 

The show runs for nearly two hours, during which Rea Garvey brings several special guests on stage, including star rapper Kool Savas and his daughter Aamor, who joins him for hits like "Take This Heart." The seamless collaboration between the orchestra, band, and choir is particularly striking, especially considering they had only rehearsed together for the first time the day before. "After just a few pieces, Rea Garvey handed the rest of the rehearsal over to his band and preferred to save his voice for the performance," says Olaf Mielmann, a timpanist in the Lufthansa Orchestra. "He was already confident he could rely entirely on the orchestra – what an overwhelming statement from a star to us, an amateur ensemble!" 

Shortly Before: A Thousand Details to Iron Out 

A few hours earlier, we meet Olaf Mielmann in the Marble Hall on the first floor of the theater – a relative haven of calm amid the hectic bustle between the theater and the neighboring hotel where the Lufthansa Orchestra is staying. A thousand last-minute details still need attention. Is the red carpet in place? Is the sound and stage setup ready? Does everyone know their tasks for the next few hours? 

Mielmann remains unfazed by the flurry of activity around him. He says his calm demeanor comes from his Hanseatic upbringing – and perhaps also from his work as a central controller at Lufthansa Technik. As the orchestra's first chairman, he sets key accents and keeps everything running smoothly, much like a conductor guiding the ensemble. 

The Lufthansa Orchestra has been performing together since 2011. The roughly 70 musicians come from across the Lufthansa Group, including pilots, flight attendants, and controllers. "They come from all over," Mielmann explains. "Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, Brussels, and Hamburg. That's why we only meet up a few times a year, on the weekends leading up to concerts." 

The biggest Challenge in the History of the Lufthansa Orchestra 

After performing in numerous concerts in Germany and on tour in Bulgaria, Puerto Rico, and Malta, Mielmann persuaded his company to partner with "Channel Aid – Live in Concert" for a charity show featuring James Arthur at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. Since then, Lufthansa, Channel Aid, and the Lufthansa Orchestra have worked closely together, preparing for what is likely to be the biggest challenge yet for Mielmann and his colleagues: three consecutive evenings, each with a different artist and a completely unique program. 

Following the opening act by Rea Garvey, there will be concerts by Samy Deluxe, a Hamburg rapper who has been a local hero since the 1990s, and Montez, who is hugely popular with teenagers. All of the performers will be playing for charity alongside the Lufthansa Orchestra as part of "Channel Aid – live in Concert," a series of concerts held to raise money for good causes. 

Channel Aid's new partner is help alliance, Lufthansa's charitable organization, which has been supporting children in need since 1999. A significant portion of the donations from the three concerts will go to Education in a Bubble, a program providing access to education and care for children and young people in Ukraine who have been traumatized by war, helping them take their first steps toward a fresh start. 

The bar is set high this evening, but Lennart Mou, like Olaf Mielmann, remains relatively relaxed. "We know what we can do," he says. "The orchestra is made up of people who have been making music for decades – some even professionally." Mou plays the trumpet and serves as the orchestra's treasurer. He works in the Digital Fleet Services department at Lufthansa Technik, began playing the trumpet as a child, and has never stopped. "It was love at first note," he recalls. "I've always played music, even during my time as a student, with the Hamburg University Orchestra." 

As a Hamburg native, Mou is especially looking forward to the second evening with local hero Samy Deluxe. "I grew up with his music. What makes it especially exciting is that the Lufthansa Orchestra will be his band tomorrow. Luckily, even though we only do this as a hobby, we are very professional." 

Andrea Hoyer also ensures this. Born in England and now living in Frankfurt, she plays first cello. As artistic director, she is responsible for the program and the selection of members, among other tasks. Hoyer studied music in Glasgow, came to Germany in 1994, and worked at various theaters before deciding on a career with Lufthansa. She started at the check-in counter and now works for Lufthansa Group Business Services. 

Hoyer has been involved with the Lufthansa Orchestra since its inception. "What makes us special and good is not only that we have first-class musicians, but also that everyone is highly motivated. After all, we rarely rehearse, so we have to learn the program at home. Today, on the first evening, it's a controlled blind flight," she explains, describing a special feature of crossover concerts with an orchestra and a band. "At this volume, you can hardly hear yourself playing, so you have to rely on the monitor and click track in your headphones." 

This Evening, a Dream Comes True for Rea Garvey 

The evening is loud and extremely entertaining from the start: the band, the choir, and the Lufthansa Orchestra harmonize seemingly effortlessly, providing Rea Garvey with the perfect musical backdrop. He captivates the audience with his Irish charm. "For me, it's a dream come true to be standing here on stage with all of you," said Garvey, visibly moved. "And I can feel the love in this theater." By then, everyone in the audience knew that it was going to be an unforgettable evening. 

The same goes for the musicians. "Everything went like clockwork, which made us all very happy," Andrea Hoyer recalled a few days later. Her orchestra colleague, Lennart Mou, added: "I'm still blown away. It was incredibly cool. It was an absolute highlight in the orchestra's history. For a week, we lived like professional musicians – thanks to Lufthansa. What other employer would make that possible so easily?" 

Fabian Narkus, the founder of Channel Aid, was also extremely satisfied with the three events. "The Lufthansa Orchestra has become part of our family. It's impressive to see how everyone gives their all for each other to put on a very special show. Three different shows on three consecutive days was a mammoth task, but one that was accomplished with flying colors," he said. Nothing stands in the way of further collaboration between Channel Aid and the Lufthansa Orchestra. In fact, Narkus said: "We are very much looking forward to the coming years with the Lufthansa Orchestra."

"We can be proud." —Olaf Mielmann, the managing director of the Lufthansa Orchestra, on the Channel Aid concerts