Dear festival visitors!

As the Chairman of the MODfestivals Association and in the name of the entire committee, I would like to welcome you to Musica Sacra International 2021.

Despite all the corona related challenges, the interreligious and intercultural festival is presenting itself under the leadership of Dr. habil. Verena Grüter and Bettina Strübel with a new programme (»our earth«). Due to the pandemic, Musica Sacra International will be held as a hybrid festival, that is with live events in the Allgäu and a varied online programme: various aspects of the chosen theme will unfold through workshops, concerts and other formats of encounters, mutual discovery and understanding of people and cultures through music.

Performing will be ensembles of extraordinary musical quality. I particularly would like to mention three key things here: the long established educational project »tolerance starts at school« for children and young people, the opportunities for the audiences and ensembles to meet at concerts and workshops, which we make possible despite the pandemic, and finally the »walk of the religions« which we will walk together at a weekend in September.

The Federal Music Association for Choirs and Orchestras, and in particular the Choral Department under Vice President Christian Finke, have been supporting Musica Sacra International both with guidance as well as resources and understand themselves as »conceptual supporters« of MODfestivals, not least on the cultural level of the Federation.I would like to thank all artistic participants, everyone from the festival office, the artistic leadership team, the hosts as well as all supporters on the ground, without whom the realisation of this festival in its usual quality - and in particular considering the pandemic-induced constraints - would not be possible. I would also like to extend these thanks to all public and private sponsors. Furthermore, I should like to thank the Bavarian Music Academy in Marktoberdorf and its Director, Jürgen Schwarz, for giving us the opportunity to use the Music Academy as the main venue for Musica Sacra International.

I wish the festival Musica Sacra International 2021 every success and all participants long-lasting experiences!

Hans Jaskulsky
Chairman of the MODfestivals Association