So German!
Aug 22, 2018 - SoGerman Team
The same spectacular procedure as every year…
For the past 23 years, the Casino Du Lac Leamy Sound of Light fireworks competition has made a quite a boom in the capital region. Many of those years saw pyrotechnical artists from various countries compete for the coveted Zeus Trophy. This year, NICO Europe from Germany was vying for the highest honour in what is considered to be one of the world’s top pyrotechnical competitions. The Zeus Trophy is said to symbolize the reign over the sky, lightning and thunder.
So German had a chance to speak to the two members of the NICO Europe team, Nicolas Kandler (NK) and Thomas Schenkluhn (TS), on the barge in the Ottawa river ahead of the big night.
How does it feel to be in Ottawa competing in the Sound and Light competition?
NK: Participation in the competition is very exclusive and you need an invitation from the organizer. Anyone who receives an invitation to Sound of Light may feel honoured, especially since the competition presents some of the best teams in the world. It is NICO’s first time participating in the competition and we hope to make a big splash with our Cinematic Odyssey.
It must be fun to pair music with fireworks. The music you chose is quite symbolic of the idea fireworks: Skyfall and the theme to Star Wars. What kinds options are there?
NK: Fireworks have been accompanying classical music concerts for hundreds of years. TS: We regularly perform at the Klassik Open Air in Ludwigsburg where we create a fireworks display that is lit live to accompany a classical music performance. The sky is the limit.
Quiet fireworks must come in handy in that case. Are they common in Germany?
NK: Baroque fireworks, that’s what they are called, are becoming more and more common in Germany. Especially in cities, to make it easier on pets.
How did you prepare for the Sound and Light competition?
NK: Thomas developed the concept. He’s the artist. I can tell you that we had the fireworks made especially for this competition. There are 18,000 ignition points, approximately 600 cakes and single shots as well as 1,800 bombs that rise of up to 250 meters. What’s more, we will be using fireworks that ignite on the water’s surface. The NICO team is very well acquainted with this and we are considered specialists in fireworks fired at and on the water.
How does one become a certified fireworks technician in Germany?
In Germany, you need to be able to show that you participated in the staging of twenty-six fireworks performances to be able to do a week-long class with a practical exam before you are granted certification. However, to be able to create shows like this, you will need a few more years of work experience.
Update: Nico Europe went on to win the Audience Choice award, making it bearable that the Chinese team took the Zeus Trophy home this year.
Culture Reporter for Unique FM Jean-Paul Moreau spoke to Nicolas Kandler ahead of the Nico Europe performance, you can hear his interview here:
Unique FM 94,5
Culture géniale
August 10, 2018 (Broadcast)
Guest: Nicolas Kandler, Pyrotechnician Germany
Host and Producer: Jean-Paul Moreau
Photos of the NICO Europe fireworks performance at Casino de Lac Leamy Sound of Light 2018 are courtesy Rick Millette Photography.
