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We are happy to present the 15th Creativity Award to the song “Vidala de la Espera”. Five artists from Argentina, United States, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands have collaborated beautifully together.
“Vidala de la Espera” was written during the first Covid-19 lockdown in spring – in its sudden standstill and infinite silence. Humanity was on pause waiting for its destiny. Time to make a decision. The song is a call to unite mother earth and its inhabitants again: “Faith and hope in our sacred music“, „Faith and hope in our sacred humanity“.
Many congratulations! Each of the five artists will receice 1,000 US dollars prize money.
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Mariel Barreña Composer and Arragements. Vocals, Piano, Acordeón y Bombo Legüero, tradicional Argentine Folklore drum Play
Mariana Baraj Vocals in Spanish, choirs and Percussion: Bombo Legüero, Semillas, Udu. Arrangements Play
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"I really enjoyed the vibe, the use of space, the minimalism of this melody. It's beautifully sung. The arrangement is great, the harmonic colours are very surprising and give lots of emotion to the song. Fantastic job!" – Yaron Herman
“This song is deep, it sounds like a prayer but in a kind of a transe way. The regular repeat of the melody catches you, you don’t want to have an end! What a comfortable and beautiful vibe.“ – Manu Katché
Collaborate and Innovate
Beyond Music provides a space for artists of all cultures and backgrounds to inspire each other and collaborate in musical innovation. In this spirit of unity, we strive to create a world of togetherness through a language that is understood across all borders: music. Artists are encouraged to work together, in tune with the core values of Beyond Music: mutual inspiration, compassion, dialog and diversity.
Independent of the selection of artists invited to participate in the album recordings of the Beyond Music Project, the Beyond Foundation regularly honors outstanding collaborative works submitted to the Beyond Music Project with the Creativity Award, endowed with 4,000 US dollars per awarded composition. "We award prizes to collaborations that demonstrate a passion for creativity and musical versatility, that embody the spirit and values of Beyond Music in an outstanding way," says Regula Curti, Founder of Beyond Foundation.
Updates dueto Coronavirus
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Due to the Corona pandemic and worldwide travel restrictions, we can't get together for the album recordings in France this year. We had to adapt the procedure of the Beyond Music Project Vol. 2 to the current circumstances. We extended the submission deadline for collaborations to September 10, 2020. From these submissions, we will give a total of 16 Awards (Creativity Awards and other Awards) to special music pieces and collaborations.
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The prize money of 4,000 US dollars for the winning team will be increased up to 5,000 US dollars starting with the 3rd Creativity Award. The increase is combined with this regulation: Each member of a winning team will receive 1,000 US dollars for his or her participation, up to a group size of 5 members. Collaborations of more than 5 artists have to share the prize money of 5,000 US dollars equally. With this regulation we want to ensure that as many artists as possible can benefit from the prize money.
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The music pieces need to reflect this year's musical theme, the planet. You can find out more about the theme here. The collaboration should consist of at least three artists (as an innovation to the previous minimum of two), of whom a minimum of two have to represent a different cultural background in accordance with our Foundation's idea "Uniting Cultures through Music". The teams are free to choose the style of music and whether they create a purely vocal or instrumental piece. Any genre and any combination of genres is welcome.
Read more about all updates due to the Corona pandemic here.
All Winners
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15th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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16th Creativity Award
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With great joy we have chosen the last Creativity Award winning team of the Beyond Music Project Vol. 2. It goes to the collaboration „Bokamoso” by three artists from South Africa, Namibia and the United States.
The song has a pop foundation with elements of African fusion, world music and blues. The message is that we have to be the change we want to see. Through love for our fellow humans, for our planet and for all that dwells therein, we can heal our broken world. What are we leaving behind for our children? Let's wake up! Love, compassion, and caring are the keys for the future. It begins with me and you.
Our heartfelt congratulations! Each artist will receive 1,000 US dollars for their collaboration.
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Joel Klein Admin, Guitar, Keyboards, Real Percussion, Drum programming, Backing Vocals, Composer, Arrangement Play
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The piece is very musical, it is a song with a beautiful melodic and instrumental moment. It mixes a vocal performance and a musical journey. Most of the time it is one or the other, rarely both. „Bokamoso“ takes you to a wonderful state of an organic and peaceful sense. Powerfulness of simplicity!
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14th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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With great joy the 14th Creativity Award is given to “Child Song” which was created by three artists from Nigeria and Ghana.
“Child Song” is a radical call for humanity towards children and mothers who have been severely neglected. It is a reawakening that we all need to focus on a crucial part of our society. As a melodramatic fusion of jazz, pop, poetry and spoken words full of consciousness, the message was of personal significance for the artists themselves, who draw attention to the fact that we were all once children.
We are touched and very happy to award each artist with 1,000 US dollars!
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"It is is a very well crafted, produced and performed song. The melody is very strong and catchy and is contemplative and groovy at the same time. Well done Marshall-Muze, Collekta and Akwasi Marley!" – Yaron Herman
“The song is instantly catchy. The groove is simple and provides a human pulse! The vocals sounds fresh which makes the whole track so positive and spontaneous, probably like the title of it.” – Manu Katché
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13th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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For the 13th Creativity Award, our Mentors were delighted to have chosen the collaboration "The Flower and the Raindrop". The music piece was created by four artists from Israel and Switzerland.
The song describes a dialogue between a flower and a drop of water on their way to find each other. This micro-perspective reflects the fragility and uniqueness of every living organism on our planet - something we often tend to forget.
We are celebrating together with the winners! Each of them will receive 1,000 US dollars for their collaboration.
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„I very much resonated with the fragile beauty of the song, as well as the story of the lyrics. Simple, nonetheless very touching. The voices of Tamar & Netanel are gorgeous. The arrangement is pure and effective, and the lyrics are spot on.“ – Elina Duni
“A simple ballad with a beautiful melody which stays in your brain, like a standard. Listening to it took me directly to a peaceful site with beautiful colours and sounds. Very pure!“ – Manu Katché
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12th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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The 12th Creativity Award goes to the wonderful collaboration “Last Dance”. The song was created by five artists from Russia/Switzerland, the United States, Tanzania and Cameroon.
“Last Dance” thematizes the current state of our planet and describes it as a dance around its own axis. The song is a plea for mercy of our earth. Music and dance are like vehicles to lift the soul and transform it into the beyond.
We are very inspired by the dance and congratulate warmly! Each team member will receive 1,000 US dollars prize money.
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“There is a sound of 1980’s rap music and hints of Quincy Jones as well. It has a nostalgic quality and reminds me of the time when rap emerged as a form of protest music. The groove is lovely and it has a real bounce to it! It’s worth mentioning also that the production is wonderfully well done.” – Elina Duni
“This track is very up and going! Very hip. The main thing that I like, appart of course of the groove and the rhythm section, is that all the instruments are real. What a relief compare to machines that are used regularly in production nowadays! I was called out by the structure of this song which is quite unexpected in some places plus the references to the main masters of soul of all time.” – Manu Katché
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11th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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Our Mentors are pleased to present the 11h Creativity Award to the song "Beautiful Earth". Five artists from Argentina, Great Britain and Benin have worked together on this song.
It is a love song for life on earth with a profound lyrical message from the heart: "We are bound together like a thousand prayers". It reminds us that love is the universal truth and that although we can get lost, we will find "ways to survive and new ways to thrive".
We are delighted with the winners! Each team member will be awarded with 1,000 US dollars.
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“I like the naivety of the lyrics, the groove, and the overall simplicity of it. I also think that the voice of Heather Ella Rose and Les Teriba sound really great and fit together very neatly in the arrangement. It sounds fresh, poppy, and what's more, it’s a song you start humming instinctively.” – Elina Duni
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10th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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Yaron Herman is delighted to give the 10th Creativity Award to the collaboration “Más acá”. It was created by four artists from Argentina and Switzerland.
This song is about the connection of Latin American rhythms with African music and the strong influence Africa has had on our music. The music acts as an integrating element between cultures and reminds us that we have a common history, that embraces us, the history of mankind.
We are happy together with the winners! Each artists will receive 1,000 US dollars prize money.
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"I like the Pat Metheny vibe of the song, It's a nice simple melody but with some interesting tensions and twists. Cool harmonic progressions. Great playing by everyone, congratulations!" – Yaron Herman
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9th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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Elina Duni is happy to present the 9th Creativity Award to the song "The things that matter". It was realized by three artists from three continents: Argentina, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
The song is dedicated to the quote by Martin Luther King: “The world begins to end the day we are silent about the things that matter.” It is a call for social justice and transformation on our planet, and a sorrowful lament for all the victims of injustice.
We congratulate the artists for their touching song! Each artist will be awarded with 1,000 US dollars.
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„I love the minimalism of this song. When the piano riff starts, there is a truly filmic quality to the music. The voices of Heather Ella Rose and Marshall-Muze blend wonderfully well together, their two vocal parts are so complementary. It is a very touching song, from the lyrics to the melody, right through to the instrumental arrangement. It’s a song that resonates deeply with the listener.“ — Elina Duni
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8th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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Manu Katché is pleased to announce the winners of the 8th Creativity Award, the collaboration "Tika We". It is the work of six artists coming from Denmark, Cameroon, South Africa, Germany and Ghana.
“Tika We'” means “miracle of life” in African. The song is a wake-up call to save our planet. In order for us to continue to admire its wonders, a fundamental rethinking and a different behaviour is essential. And everyone can contribute and take small steps to save the earth.
We rejoice together with you! The team will receive 5,000 US dollars prize money for their joint work.
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“I found the song very attractive and emotional, even if I do not understand the language!
The vocals and choir make this song sounds like an African Chant. Instantly you feel being part of a reunion where everyone interact for a similar goal - praying for the good!” — Manu Katché
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7th Creativity Award (Mentors’ choice)
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For the 7th Creativity Award, Elina Duni has chosen the collaboration “Earth tell my eager hands”. The music piece was created by four artists from Germany, Tanzania, Italy and the United States.
The song is a tribute to the infinite force of the earth and how we are intertwined therein. It tells about the archaic symbiosis between the human mankind and our earth. As the farmer who humbly asks for his land in order to provide for his people, ready to work with his hands and in his sweat.
Many congratulations! Each artist will be awarded with 1,000 US dollars prize money.
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„I like the blues-drenched feeling of this song. The idea of the "work song" with this beat that constatly repeats itself, it chimes like an ostinato of labour. The voice of Nadine Jeanne is very sensuous and the whole atmosphere of the song is somehow reminiscent of the British Trip-Hop band Portishead. It all blends together very nicely with the poem of Msafiri Zawose.“ — Elina Duni
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6th Creativity Award
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The Beyond Foundation presents the 6th Creativity Award to the song "Our world is blue". It was created by 14 artists, which means a record number of collaborators coming from ten countries: Germany, Cameroon, Switzerland, USA, Denmark, India, Italy, Zambia, England and Austria.
"Our world is blue" is a declaration of love to our blue planet. It describes the beauty of our world in colorful pictures and is nevertheless critical. This song should remind people of the unique but fragile beauty of our world.We are very happy for the 14 artists! The team will receive 5,000 US dollar as prize money.
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Joerg Schnabel Composition, Lyrics, Producer, Engineer, Arrangement, Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocals Play
Marnix Moehring Cello
Sonja Wiedebusch Violin
Valentin Viola -
A lot of work has gone into this collaboration. The artists invested many arrangements and a lot of coordination work. Our project theme "songs for the planet" is wonderfully realized with the lyrics. The melody is touching and moves us. The whole song is musically and instrumentally very professionally executed. Through the different languages the artists express our idea of intercultural connection very well and unite all different cultures of their collaboration.
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5th Creativity Award
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We are happy to present the 5th Creativity Award for the song "Sí ndôn". Six artists from Cameroon, Switzerland and Germany/Senegal have collaborated in a vocal and instrumental virtuoso manner.
"Sí ndôn" means "The Planet" in the Ewondo language from Cameroon. The song is a conversation between God and human being about how they feel to live on the planet, and in return they give thanks to God for creating the world and all its precious wonders.
We warmly congratulate the artists and award 5,000 US dollars for the team.
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The dialogue between God and the human being is passionate and exciting. The divine, omnipresent power that protects our planet is honoured with distinctive gospel elements, combined with Rock and Pop: "What would life on Earth looks like without you Lord?" The rhythm is very moving and invites you to dance. The saxophone and trumpet tones run like fanfares through the music piece. In the middle part a powerful guitar is convincing.
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4th Creativity Award
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With great pleasure the Beyond Foundation announces the winners of the 4th Creativity Award, the collaboration "Dreamer". The song was created by three artists from Tanzania, Russia/Switzerland and Denmark.
"Dreamer" is about the children and young people of Planet Earth, whose innocence, hopes and dreams are in danger of being shattered by all the destructive forces in societies.
We are moved and heartily congratulate. The team of three will receive 3,000 US dollars for their collaboration.
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The artists have ventured to combine classical instrumental and electronic sounds with modern Hip Hop/Rap. Africa meets Europe with the stirring message "a cry for the children and youth of planet earth". A hypnotic refrain, spoken like a mantra, hammers into our consciousness. "Everything that you can do in your heart, you can do... What does it take to be a dreamer?". The lyrics hit the nerve of the theme, provoking and injecting a sense of urgency in contrast to a quiet sound carpet of improvised violin and piano pieces.
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3rd Creativity Award
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The Beyond Foundation is pleased to present the winners of the 3rd Creativity Award. The winning song is "Meadow" which was created by five artists from Argentina, Israel, Switzerland and Cameroon.
"Meadow" is a love letter from humanity to nature. The song expresses how we enjoy the benefits of nature, but also our regret about how our actions endanger nature. The song is dedicated to all the animals and the nature that have become extinct through human activity.
Congratulations! The prize money for the team is 5,000 US dollars.
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"Meadow" is a song that carries a clearly defined and deep message. The solo voices have a beautiful and understandable diction and radiate love for humanity, embedded in the background voices. The Caribbean rhythm is uplifting and gives hope. The music touches with the authenticity of the performers and their clear message. It is a simple song which has a great impact. It shows that less is more!
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Corona Special Award
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The Beyond Foundation has decided to give an additional Corona Special Award in these challenging times for all artists. It is a true gift that we have each other, even though we have to stay at home at the moment, and that we can continue to work together so powerfully.
The song "Si Ghan" is the result of the collaboration of five artists from the Netherlands, Syria, Japan, India and Cameroon. The song is about the children who breathe the air we leave behind. It's time to make sure that the air is clean for every living being on Earth.We are happy with you! The team will receive 5,000 US dollars as prize money.
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Elly Kellner Composition, English lyrics & arrangement, lead- and backing vocals, electric guitar, bass, mix Play
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"Si Ghan" has chosen the lovely child voice of the six-year-old Roos Marijn from the Netherlands as entry voice. She touches us deeply and takes us with her. The music covers a broad spectrum of the world from Japan, India, Africa, Syria to Europe. This song also captivates us with its simplicity, clear message, amazing voices, good rhythm, and the interaction of various instruments including the Sarangi, an original instrument used in India and Pakistan.
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2nd Creativity Award
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For the 2nd Creativity Award, the Beyond Foundation has chosen the collaboration "Uivo de Lamento", a work by three artists from Portugal, Kazakhstan and Tanzania.
The song is about a joint lament of humans and animals and the desire to move towards a world that serves everyone. "Uivo de Lamento" combines instruments from different cultures, unknown ancient sounds and modern technology in an innovative way. The song begins with the pressing lament of the earth in the form of the howling of the wolf, symbolized by the old Kazakh string instrument Kyl-Kobyz.
We are impressed and award 4,000 US dollars to the team of "Uivo de Lamento".
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Senhora do Ó Composer, Arranger, Portuguese Lyrics, Lead Vocal, Harmony Voice, Chants, Swahili Choir, Percussions (Singing Bowl, Adufe, Shaker, Shells), Virtual Instruments, Production Play
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The song is a wonderful multicultural fusion with strong voices and an earthy rhythm that leaves room for fantasy. The animals speak to the people, which nourishes the longing for reunion with nature. You can feel the message of the song in every cell of your body. The three artists have musically implemented their central idea in a very appealing way: "Now we have the opportunity to combine the best of the past and the best of technological innovation and embark on a journey into a world that serves everyone".
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1st Creativity Award
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The Beyond Foundation is pleased to present the 1st Creativity Award to the collaboration "Kijanisha the Planet", which was created by three artists from Tanzania and Canada.
"Kijanisha the Planet" which means "Regreen the Planet" is about the need to be aware of environmental destruction, but not to remain in shock and grief. The song is calling on you to take action to protect nature and do something about it.
Congratulations to the team! They will receive 4,000 US dollars for their collaboration.
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We find the melody and rhythm stirring and the beat uplifting. Building up the song with more and more instruments creates a high energy. You feel the journey between Canada and Tanzania. We like the strong voices of Anna and Msafiri and the great performance of Nic. We feel the call that we all have to do something to change the world, and when we grab a shovel and plant seeds.
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