An interview with the composer and pianist

"In times of global conflicts and social tensions, the discourse on peace, equality and justice often seems to come to a dead end when it takes place exclusively on a rational, cognitive level. According to Johann Galtung, the level of the individual, which should be taken into account in peace prevention, could possibly be differentiated again. After all, we are not only made up of cognitions and are certainly not purely rational beings. As has often been shown in the past, it is probably not enough to say and know that war is not a solution and that all people are worth the same, that harmony and peace should be striven for on all three levels. It seems that other levels are needed in order to reach everyone, including those who are disgruntled, withdrawn or characterized by barriers."

Lena Anstädt wants to reach such a level with her new album "pour la paix." (engl. "For the peace"). She invites listeners on a musical journey that is more than just thought-provoking - she wants to make us feel. Lena Anstädt, who also works as a research assistant at the Peace Academy and is writing her thesis in the field of peace psychology, uses her music to touch people emotionally and give them access to a deeper form of reflection and inner contemplation. In her piano pieces, she combines dissonance with harmonic elements to subtly confront the listener with the tensions and contradictions of life without giving up hope. Her compositions are characterized by a gentle but haunting aesthetic that deliberately avoids exaggerated euphoria. "Striking joy," says Anstädt, "is often out of place in today's world." Instead, she focuses on a delicate balance of restlessness and serenity, which ultimately leads to a quiet but profound hope.

Music as a bridge to inner peace

In conversation with the composer, it becomes clear that she sees her music as a means of promoting inner peace as the basis for outer peace.

"Peace always starts with yourself and I'm not the first person to think that. So we probably can't avoid inner peace if we're looking for peace on the outside."

Quite apart from the current political situation and the media reports, we live in a world that is characterized by hectic, stress and constant pressure. Understandably, many of us find it difficult to calm down. Everyday challenges and the noise of the outside world make it almost impossible to achieve a state of inner balance. However, according to Anstädt, it is precisely this inner harmony that is a decisive step towards achieving peace in interpersonal and social spheres. Through her psychological work, she is aware that if we do not live like Anselm Grün or Mahatma Ghandi, this can be a daily challenge.

Her music offers a space to find peace and come to terms with one's own feelings. "Music has the ability to block out the external noise and connect us with our inner self," says Anstädt. "It creates an atmosphere in which we can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a moment and focus on the essentials." According to Anstädt, this moment of contemplation is a necessary first step to finding peace within yourself.

The principle of homeostasis as an indication of the universal pursuit of peace

Lena Anstädt sees the pursuit of balance, homeostasis, as an indication of our striving for peace. "Everything strives for balance, be it biological systems or psychological phenomena such as cognitive dissonance, which we can barely tolerate and therefore try to resolve by changing our behavior. The smallest particles are guided by diffusion pressure and charge balancing, or an ecosystem that cannot survive if the principle of homeostasis is disturbed." For Anstädt, this universal longing for harmony is an indication that humans also have an inherent need for peace and balance. So instead of relying exclusively on communicative techniques or political measures, she advocates focusing more on developing an "inner homeostasis", an inner peace. "If we manage to get closer to this, I can well imagine that we will also be able to communicate peacefully with each other," says Anstädt. "After all, we humans are adaptable beings. If we don't have it in us, the question is whether we are even willing to use the communication skills we have learned."

Art as a mirror of society

In addition to her work at the Peace Academy, her final thesis and her music album, Lena Anstädt is also involved in the artistic exploration of social and political issues. In September, she was selected for an exhibition at the Düsseldorf City Museum, which took place under the motto "Check your Dogma" and was organized by the Düsseldorf Enlightenment Service. In her "musique concrète" piece, she layered various religious chants and sounds on top of each other, creating a deliberate dissonance to draw attention to the conflicts between different belief systems.

"If we sing and shout all our ideologies in our tiles, we will probably not be able to develop an ear for the realities of others. Coming together and true dialog then seems impossible. Even if they are ideologies about peace, we will not find a common denominator this way. Augustine also assumed that all people want peace, but on their own terms. The diversity of conditions creates a discrepancy that we cannot overcome by shouting even louder and trying to impose our own conditions."

Peace as an ongoing process

Here too, Anstädt sees the individual as the starting point. "I see it as an opportunity if we start with ourselves, recognize ourselves in our own tile, convictions and dare to try to listen to what others think and say; not to assume ourselves in the only truth and rightness. Modesty in our thinking can perhaps do no harm in order to carry some openness within us. Hard-hitting boundaries meet hard-hitting contradiction, soft boundaries can deform without violent conflict. Because how do I know what is right and wrong?" In this sense, she agrees with the Oracle of Delphi of the time, which, according to the stories, proclaimed that Socrates could be considered the most far-reaching of all. For he was aware that he could not really be certain of anything. Anstädt sees this form of wisdom and humility as an indispensable component when it comes to achieving inner and therefore also outer peace.

"It is from my heart, in peace, addressed to all hearts out there."

The new album "Pour la paix." by Lena Anstädt is available on iTunes, Apple Music and Spotify.

Listen here on Spotify.

An interview with the composer and pianist

"In times of global conflicts and social tensions, the discourse on peace, equality and justice often seems to come to a dead end when it takes place exclusively on a rational, cognitive level. According to Johann Galtung, the level of the individual, which should be taken into account in peace prevention, could possibly be differentiated again. After all, we are not only made up of cognitions and are certainly not purely rational beings. As has often been shown in the past, it is probably not enough to say and know that war is not a solution and that all people are worth the same, that harmony and peace should be striven for on all three levels. It seems that other levels are needed in order to reach everyone, including those who are disgruntled, withdrawn or characterized by barriers."

Lena Anstädt wants to reach such a level with her new album "pour la paix." (engl. "For the peace"). She invites listeners on a musical journey that is more than just thought-provoking - she wants to make us feel. Lena Anstädt, who also works as a research assistant at the Peace Academy and is writing her thesis in the field of peace psychology, uses her music to touch people emotionally and give them access to a deeper form of reflection and inner contemplation. In her piano pieces, she combines dissonance with harmonic elements to subtly confront the listener with the tensions and contradictions of life without giving up hope. Her compositions are characterized by a gentle but haunting aesthetic that deliberately avoids exaggerated euphoria. "Striking joy," says Anstädt, "is often out of place in today's world." Instead, she focuses on a delicate balance of restlessness and serenity, which ultimately leads to a quiet but profound hope.

Music as a bridge to inner peace

In conversation with the composer, it becomes clear that she sees her music as a means of promoting inner peace as the basis for outer peace.

"Peace always starts with yourself and I'm not the first person to think that. So we probably can't avoid inner peace if we're looking for peace on the outside."

Quite apart from the current political situation and the media reports, we live in a world that is characterized by hectic, stress and constant pressure. Understandably, many of us find it difficult to calm down. Everyday challenges and the noise of the outside world make it almost impossible to achieve a state of inner balance. However, according to Anstädt, it is precisely this inner harmony that is a decisive step towards achieving peace in interpersonal and social spheres. Through her psychological work, she is aware that if we do not live like Anselm Grün or Mahatma Ghandi, this can be a daily challenge.

Her music offers a space to find peace and come to terms with one's own feelings. "Music has the ability to block out the external noise and connect us with our inner self," says Anstädt. "It creates an atmosphere in which we can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a moment and focus on the essentials." According to Anstädt, this moment of contemplation is a necessary first step to finding peace within yourself.

The principle of homeostasis as an indication of the universal pursuit of peace

Lena Anstädt sees the pursuit of balance, homeostasis, as an indication of our striving for peace. "Everything strives for balance, be it biological systems or psychological phenomena such as cognitive dissonance, which we can barely tolerate and therefore try to resolve by changing our behavior. The smallest particles are guided by diffusion pressure and charge balancing, or an ecosystem that cannot survive if the principle of homeostasis is disturbed." For Anstädt, this universal longing for harmony is an indication that humans also have an inherent need for peace and balance. So instead of relying exclusively on communicative techniques or political measures, she advocates focusing more on developing an "inner homeostasis", an inner peace. "If we manage to get closer to this, I can well imagine that we will also be able to communicate peacefully with each other," says Anstädt. "After all, we humans are adaptable beings. If we don't have it in us, the question is whether we are even willing to use the communication skills we have learned."

Art as a mirror of society

In addition to her work at the Peace Academy, her final thesis and her music album, Lena Anstädt is also involved in the artistic exploration of social and political issues. In September, she was selected for an exhibition at the Düsseldorf City Museum, which took place under the motto "Check your Dogma" and was organized by the Düsseldorf Enlightenment Service. In her "musique concrète" piece, she layered various religious chants and sounds on top of each other, creating a deliberate dissonance to draw attention to the conflicts between different belief systems.

"If we sing and shout all our ideologies in our tiles, we will probably not be able to develop an ear for the realities of others. Coming together and true dialog then seems impossible. Even if they are ideologies about peace, we will not find a common denominator this way. Augustine also assumed that all people want peace, but on their own terms. The diversity of conditions creates a discrepancy that we cannot overcome by shouting even louder and trying to impose our own conditions."

Peace as an ongoing process

Here too, Anstädt sees the individual as the starting point. "I see it as an opportunity if we start with ourselves, recognize ourselves in our own tile, convictions and dare to try to listen to what others think and say; not to assume ourselves in the only truth and rightness. Modesty in our thinking can perhaps do no harm in order to carry some openness within us. Hard-hitting boundaries meet hard-hitting contradiction, soft boundaries can deform without violent conflict. Because how do I know what is right and wrong?" In this sense, she agrees with the Oracle of Delphi of the time, which, according to the stories, proclaimed that Socrates could be considered the most far-reaching of all. For he was aware that he could not really be certain of anything. Anstädt sees this form of wisdom and humility as an indispensable component when it comes to achieving inner and therefore also outer peace.

"It is from my heart, in peace, addressed to all hearts out there."

The new album "Pour la paix." by Lena Anstädt is available on iTunes, Apple Music and Spotify.

Listen here on Spotify.