Home2018AugustBehind and Beyond the Genfest Theme Song

Behind and Beyond the Genfest Theme Song

Simon Deregowski composed the Genfest 2018 theme song “Beyond all borders." The singer-songwriter from Germany understands music as a means to express personal thoughts and values, and to create unity.

Music has always played a significant role in Simon’s life. Already at six, he had started playing the drums. Later on, he joined several orchestras and big bands as a drummer, while gaining his first singing experiences on stage during Teens4Unity events. In junior and senior high school, he started to write songs, recorded them with friends and performed at school events. However, the dream to make his passion also a profession only grew stronger during his Gen School experience at Mariapolis Lía in O’Higgins, Argentina.

During that time, not only did he learn how to play the guitar, but he also understood that singing and song-writing were what he wanted to do and that his music could be his own contribution to a more united world.

Simon Deregowski
“Composing the song was like giving myself a punch: ‘Stop pitying yourself and break out of this situation!” (Simon Deregowski)

What inspired you to compose a song for the Genfest?
Simon: Actually, I wrote this song when I found myself in a very difficult situation, a bad mood, for I felt weak and tired. Composing the song was like giving myself a punch: ‘Stop pitying yourself and break out of this situation!’ So, the song was about the wish to go beyond my personal borders. In the end (after changing some lyrics) the message of the song was not so much about my personal experience, as a general experience and a feeling that can include everyone, touching on personal limits as well as the borders that

we can overcome together. That was a very beautiful experience for me!

What are some highlights of the Genfest for you?
Simon: My personal highlights from the Genfest! Before, I knew neither the band members, nor the singers or dancers! During our rehearsals in Tagaytay and Manila we had to overcome many, many borders, believe me! But although the sound system wasn’t perfect, the time to practice too short, we were able to live this moment on stage together and in a very special way!

Simon Deregowski
Simon Deregowski onstage during the Genfest 2018

I never felt like I was performing ‘my own song’! I just felt happy to perform together with my new friends, people who had become really important to me in a very short period of time. And I think, showing these beautiful relationships which had been growing between us, founded on mutual love, was the greatest gift we could offer the other young people and the public.

Some words to describe your experience on stage and backstage during the Genfest …?
Simon: We performed together, with all our souls and truly went beyond all borders.

Marie D.

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