ESC School Song Contest: On the big stage for the first time

Over 100 school bands from all over Switzerland registered for the "Eurovision School Song Contest" by SRF as part of the ESC in Basel. The bands submitted videos of their own and cover songs, recorded in the band cellar or outside, with matching choreography and clothing. There was also a wide range of styles - from yodeling to hard rock, from funky pop to chanson.

Countless of the participants take lessons at Swiss music schools. This includes the six band members of "The Returners", who impressed the jury members led by Anna Rossinelli. They reached the final and were among the four best school bands and performed two songs in the Eurovision Village on May 14. We spoke to the two guitarists Lean Melone and Samuel Binkert, Lean's guitar teacher Yiannis Papayjannis and music school director Diana Bauchinger.

Lean Melone (14) and Samuel Binkert (14), both take guitar lessons at the Möhlin Music School

How did you experience the live performance in the Eurovision Village?

Lean: "It was mega cool. A mega opportunity to be on such a big stage. We'd never done that before. We'd only played one gig before, in front of about twenty or thirty people, at the birthday party of the father of one of the band members.

Samuel: It was really fun. The fact that people thought it was great what we were doing was awesome.

Were you nervous?

Lean: Surprisingly not. A little bit before the gig, and I think the others too. But then almost not at all during the playing.

You played songs by Guns N' Roses and the Foo Fighters. How did you come up with that?

Samuel: We all just think the music genre is pretty cool. So rock'n'roll and rock.

How were you informed that you had made it to the final?

Samuel: There were two votes: from the audience and from the jury. We found out about the public vote by e-mail. And the jury's decision came by phone on a Wednesday afternoon. One of our singers answered and then informed us. We almost couldn't believe it. We had actually registered more for fun and didn't expect it.

And what's next for the band?

Lean: We'll just keep going. We have a gig at the school next week and have already received several other requests. We'll be playing quite a few concerts in the near future (laughs).

What's it like for you: Do you both practice a lot at home, apart from the band rehearsal?

Samuel: Yes, I practise every day, even at the weekend. I simply enjoy it. When I'm bored, I always practise. I never have to force myself.

Lean: It's the same for me. I always try to practise when I have time.

Yiannis Papayiannis, Music teacher at the Möhlin music school, guitarist and sound engineer 

"Lean Melone and his brother Mael, who also plays in the band "The Returners", have been coming to me for guitar lessons for about two years. They have a very high level and have both passed very good level tests. Both of them also play pieces by the progressive rock band Dream Theater, for example, which are very difficult to play, with meters like 7/8 or 14/16 and lots of key changes. I have already transcribed several Dream Theater pieces for them. I spent three days on one of them during my vacation. I was also interested in it myself, so I really enjoyed doing it.

It's great to have interested students like these two. They both practise a lot at home and I invest a lot of time in their preparation. We use every minute in the lessons, the lessons are always far too short! They are also interested in effects, pedals and amplifiers. Guitar lessons are very varied, you learn to read music, chords, accompaniment, soloing, phrasing, but it's also about sounds and gear.

During the lesson, we often also look at pieces that they play in the band. We discuss ideas for solos and recreate certain guitar sounds. I've already heard the band play. They do it really well!"

Diana Bauchinger, Head of the Möhlin Music School, trumpeter and also director of the Knaben- und Mädchenmusik Basel

"Of course, I think it's brilliant that students from our music school and our neighboring school took part in this event. It's particularly great that the young people formed the band themselves and registered for the competition independently. We were able to lay the foundations for this through the individual lessons at our school.

I think it's sometimes not visible to the public what's behind a performance like this. It's a long road - from being interested in music to having your own band and even a success like the one at the Eurovision School Song Contest. The young people, parents and teachers invest a lot of time and passion.

First of all, there are the children and young people who are committed to music lessons and their instrument. They want and need to take the time to practise, which requires much more personal effort than in sport, where you go to training in a group and don't have to practise for yourself at home.

Then the parents are also needed. It is very important that they support the children, that they incorporate regular practice into their everyday lives and thus enable them to keep at it over a longer period of time. It really pays off.

And the music teachers also make a significant contribution to this. If they respond to the pupils, if they recognize and encourage talent, then so much is possible! Sometimes it's not easy for them. Many have small workloads at several schools, sometimes in different cantons. It's a big task to keep track of things when it comes to talent promotion and competitions, for example, which are organized differently everywhere. Our music teachers are very committed, which is really worth its weight in gold.

Ultimately, it also needs the right structures and support from the community and the canton. Musical education is hugely important. We are delighted that this has now become visible with the competition as part of a major event such as the ESC!"