2026:WikiOrchestra
Liberté, Équité, Fiabilité
The WikiOrchestra performed two pieces of French music at the Wikimania 2026 closing ceremony. Please let us know if you would like to join us next year in Santiago de Chile!
What is the WikiOrchestra?
The WikiOrchestra is an ad-hoc ensemble of amateur musician Wikimedians who came together to perform to pieces of French music for the Wikimania 2026 closing ceremony. For more information, please see the WikiOrchestra page on Meta.
Why is there a WikiOrchestra?
Traditionally, the Wikimania opening and closing ceromonies included 'cultural exhibitions' of music and/or dance typical to the location hosting Wikimania that year.
In the collaborative spirit of Wikimania, the WikiOrchestra first performed at Wikimania 2024 in Katowice featuring a classical piece by Chopin and a Silesian folk song, and a WikiChoir sang two Swahili pop songs at Wikimania 2025 in Nairobi.
With the performance of the WikiOrchestra, we wanted to honour the hosts of the conference, and the musical tradition of France.
What songs did the WikiOrchestra perform at Wikimania 2026 in Pairs?
- Claude Debussy: Clair de Lune (Moonlight) from Suite Bergamasque L. 75 no. 3 for solo piano (1905), arranged for chamber orchestra by Hubert Mouton (1922)
- Oh, Wikipédia !, based on Aux Champs-Élysées (1969) by Michael Antony Deighan and Mike Wilshaw as performed by Joe Dassin
- Je m'baladais sur l'avenue,
- Le cœur ouvert à l'inconnu,
- J'avais envie d'en savoir plus
- sur n'importe quoi.
- Je m'baladais sur l'avenue,
- Je surfe partout et ce fut toi –
- Je clique des liens bleus avec joie :
- un’ communauté nous écrit
- l'encyclopédie !
- I was walking down the street,
- My heart open to the unknown,
- I wanted to know more"
- About anything.
- I was walking down the street,
- Je surfe partout et ce fut toi –
- I browsed everywhere and it was you –
- I click on blue links with joy
- A community has written us
- An encyclopaedia!
- I browsed everywhere and it was you –
- (chorus:)
- Oh, Wikipédia!
- Oh, Wikipédia!
- When I was young, I was a fool,
- But you made me the best in school.
- Now I want to give back to ya!
- Oh, Wikipédia!
- Who would have thought what you'd become
- back in the year two-thousand-one.
- A wild idea that started bold,
- Now twenty-five years old.
- Who would have thought what you'd become
- Where anyone's an editor,
- and sources are accounted for,
- the edits are all adding to
- the Neutral Point of View.
- (chorus)
- Where anyone's an editor,
- The greatest thing there is online,
- your sister projects all align:
- A multilingual knowledge hub –
- come join the wiki club!
- The greatest thing there is online,
- Now algorithms learn from you,
- and AI looms, but we stay true
- and answer our mission's call:
- Free Knowledge for all!
- (chorus)
- Now algorithms learn from you,
Who played in the WikiOrchestra and sang in the Wikichoir?
Clair de Lune
- direction: Luis Alvaz
- solo piano: Lucas Werkmeister
- flutes: Adélaïde Calais, User:Carlillasa, User:Bastique
- clarinets: User:Ellywa, Lukas Mezger
- glockenspiel: User:Buszmail
- guitar: User:Gereon K.
- harp: User:TED
- violins: User:XanonymusX, User:Bennylin, Kaarel Vaidla
- cellos: User:New-York-air, William Bothe
- bass: User:Pintoch
Oh, Wikipédia !
- flutes: Adélaïde Calais, User:Carlillasa, User:Bastique
- clarinet: User:Ellywa
- saxophone: Lukas Mezger
- percussion: Bobby Shabangu, User:Buszmail
- guitars: User:Gereon K., User:Auregann, User:Letherian3, User:Gereon K., User:Nesanya
- accordion: User:Gustave en résidence
- piano: Amir Aharoni
- harp: User:TED
- violins: User:XanonymusX, User:Bennylin, Kaarel Vaidla
- cellos: User:New-York-air, William Bothe
- bass: User:Pintoch
- singers: User:Auregann, User:Sannita, Lucy Crompton-Reid, User:Joycewikiwiki, User:Sukkoria, Delphine Ménard, User:Poslovitch, Lucas Werkmeister, User:Nikoslikomitros, User:Joycewikiwiki, User:Fanaliceful, User:NarumiSBT, User:Seddon, Kaarel Vaidla, User:Bennylin User:Pymouss, User:Igallards7, User:Exilexi, User:Robertsky, User:Ferfive, User:Rombituon, User:Alli Khalil, User:Rruunnaa, User:Piyanist, Harald Krichel, User:NikolasKHF
Can I join the WikiOrchestra and the WikiChoir next year?
Yes, please! All instruments, abilities, and voices are welcome – you will fit right in! There will be a (short) rehearsal during the conference. Please also let us know ahead of the conference if you want to sing with us so that we can select a suitable piece, and send you the sheet music that meets your skill level.
Documentation
- recording of Clair de Lune on YouTube