German Pop Star Wincent Weiss Performs at Stuyvesant

The Foreign Language Department hosted its second annual concert in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut on December 6, featuring German pop star Wincent Weiss. On the day of the concert, both the lower and upper decks of the Murray Kahn Theater were filled with students, waiting for Weiss to appear.

The event began with greetings from Principal Eric Contreras, who thanked German teacher Rebecca Lindemulder for her significant contributions in organizing the event. A representative from the Goethe-Institut, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the study of the German language and culture, also spoke.

After the opening statements, the buzzing sound of anticipation filled the auditorium, and the crowd immediately livened up as Weiss walked onto the stage and began to perform.

Weiss began the concert by beckoning Stuyvesant students to leave the second-floor balcony to come down to the first floor. He proceeded to jump off of the stage and into the crowd, where he posed for pictures and high-fived awestruck fans. Weiss also encouraged fans to clap along to the beat, turn on their phone flashlights and sway their hands, and sing along to the lyrics of his songs.

Weiss is traveling across North America to cities like Montreal, New York City, Los Angeles, and Mexico City in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut. Weiss is popular in Germany, and in 2017, he was awarded Best German Artist by MTV Europe Music Awards.

The concert is part of a larger effort by Assistant Principal of World Languages Francesca McAuliffe to host more diverse cultural events within the Stuyvesant community. “I’m currently planning to do a trip to the Spanish theater with some students in the spring,” she said. “It would be nice to eventually have more concerts with different languages in the building, so that would be something worth expanding in [the] future.”

While Weiss primarily sang German songs at the concert, he also included a medley of popular American songs including “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran, “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, and “In My Feelings” by Drake. Many students named this part of the show their favorite part since they could understand and sing along with Weiss.

Despite the lyrics of Weiss’s songs being in German rather than English, many students still had a positive experience at the concert. “He did a great job performing for an audience that mainly spoke English while singing entirely in German. That really goes to show that music can go across languages and that it’s such a powerful tool,” sophomore Luca Bielski said.

Weiss’s performance was memorable for students who had never been to a concert in a completely foreign language. “I was excited because he’s widely known throughout Germany and to have someone famous in another country take the time to come to Stuyvesant made this experience unforgettable,” sophomore Roshni Patel said.

Others were grateful for the opportunity to attend their first concert. “I’d never been to a concert, and I’m glad I was able to get a sense of what it feels like to be at one,” freshman Pranav Paranji said.

The Student Union (SU) ensured that the concert ran smoothly by assisting with event security and managing tickets. SU President William Wang thanked the many students who attended for their enthusiasm. “This event wouldn’t go on every year unless the students were actually so into it. I’m so happy that the students actually took time out from six to seven, even later than seven to go see this famous German pop star,” he said.