Wartburg’s four touring music ensembles include the Wartburg Choir, Castle Singers, Wind Ensemble, and Kammerstreicher. These ensembles schedule international tours every three years during the four-week May Term. The tours offer course credit as educational travel opportunities. U.S. tours during the other years showcase musicians throughout the country with appearances in many of the great concert halls.
MUSIC ENSEMBLE TOURS
Ensemble Tours Contact
Sarah Bouska
Music Tour, Camp, and Promotion Manager
100 Wartburg Blvd
PO Box 1003
Waverly, IA 50677-0903
sarah.bouska@wartburg.edu
Office: 319-352-8743
Cell: 641-420-8140
2025 ENSEMBLE TOURS
Select an ensemble tour below for event and venue details. All concerts are freewill unless noted otherwise. Ticketed concerts are general admission (no reserved seats) and will call tickets will be available at the door. Online sales end 24 hours prior to the event. Door sales will be available for all concerts and credit cards are accepted. Ticket sales and donations support student scholarships and future tours.
2025 TOUR SCHEDULE
Friday, Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m.
Redeemer Lutheran Church
2001 W. Bremer Ave.
Waverly, IA 50677
Saturday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m. Concert
Sunday, Feb. 9, 9 a.m. Worship Service
Chisago Lake Lutheran
1 Summit Ave.
Center City, MN 55012
Friday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m.
TBD
Bettendorf, IA
Saturday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.
First Wayne Street United Methodist Church
300 East Wayne St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Sunday, March 2, 10:30 a.m.
Trinity English Lutheran Church
450 W. Washington Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Sunday, March 2, 4 p.m.
Pearl Arts Music Academy
234 Pearl Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Monday, March 3, 7 p.m.
Hyde Park United Methodist Church
1345 Grace Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45208
Tuesday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
1747 W. Milham Ave.
Portage, MI 49024
Wednesday, March 5, 7 p.m.
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church
815 S. Washington
Naperville, IL 60540
Friday, March 7, 7 p.m.
Shepherd of the Prairie Artist Series
Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church
10805 Main St.
Huntley, IL 60142
Saturday, March 8, 6:30 p.m. Concert
Sunday, March 9, 8:15 a.m. Worship Service
St. Peter Lutheran Church
3200 Asbury Rd.
Dubuque, IA 52001
Home Concert
Sunday, March 9, 4 p.m.
Wartburg Chapel
100 Wartburg Blvd.
Waverly, IA 50677
2025 TOUR SCHEDULE
Details coming soon.
All concerts will take a free-will offering unless noted otherwise.
Friday, March 28
Mount Vernon, IA
Saturday, March 29
Des Moines, IA
Sunday, March 30
Mason City, IA
Home Concert
Sunday, April 13
2 p.m. Concert
Wartburg Chapel
Waverly, IA
Friday, April 18
Sacramento, CA
Saturday, April 19
San Francisco, CA
Saturday, April 20
San Francisco, CA
Monday, April 21
Medford, OR
Tuesday, April 22
Salem, OR
Wednesday, April 23
Portland, OR
Thursday, April 24
Portland, OR
Friday, April 25
Seattle, WA
Saturday, April 26
Seattle, WA
Sunday, April 27
Seattle, WA
2025 TOUR SCHEDULE
Wind Ensemble Home Concert
Sunday, April 13, 4 p.m.
Neumann Auditorium
Waverly, IA 50677
Wind Ensemble International Tour 2025
May Term
Japan – Detais coming soon!
All concerts will take a free-will offering unless noted otherwise.
Ritterchor
Saturday, March 15
Minneapolis, MN
Sunday, March 16
Minneapolis, MN
Home Concert
Sunday, April 6, 4 p.m.
Wartburg Chapel
Waverly, IA
St. Elizabeth Chorale
Home Concert
Sunday, April 6, 1:30 p.m.* NEW TIME
Wartburg Chapel
Waverly, IA
Kantorei and Hanbell Choir
Home Concert
Saturday, April 5, 4 p.m.
Wartburg Chapel
Waverly, IA
TOURING ENSEMBLES
CASTLE SINGERS
Under the direction of Dr. Nicki Bakko Toliver, the group prepares a variety of repertoire from Byrd to The Beatles and beyond. Composed of advanced vocalists who are dedicated to exploring challenging choral literature. The Castle Singers tour the United States annually and travel overseas during the college’s May Term. Previous international tours included countries throughout Western and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Latin America, Australia and French Polynesia.
KAMMERSTREICHER
Kammerstreicher means “chamber strings” and is Wartburg’s auditioned string chamber orchestra. Under the direction of Dr. Rebecca Nederhiser, Kammerstreicher is comprised of Wartburg’s top string students. Repertoire includes music from the Baroque to modern day, with focus on collaboration.
WARTBURG CHOIR
A mixed a cappella ensemble under the direction of Dr. Lee Nelson, the Wartburg Choir has performed in Europe, South Africa, Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, Symphony Center in Chicago, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The choir was invited to sing in the White House and the National Cathedral in 2011 and join the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague for a concert in 2006.
WIND ENSEMBLE
The college’s top wind and percussion players perform in the Wartburg College Wind Ensemble under the direction of Prof. Jeff de Seriere. The Wind Ensemble became the first Wartburg music group to perform in Japan and China. Its European tours have included performances at St. George’s Church in Eisenach, Germany, home of the Wartburg Castle and birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Wind Ensemble also has performed in Austria, the Czech Republic, England, and at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.
LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES
Few colleges can match the rich experience of Wartburg music ensemble tours, where students form lasting connections with individuals and communities around the globe.
MAKING CONNECTIONS THROUGH MUSIC. EXPERIENCE MORE.
ENSEMBLE DIRECTORS
Karen Black
Cantor and College Organist, Professor of Music, Rudi Inselmann Endowed Professor in Organ
Rebecca Nederhiser
Assistant Professor of Music
Lee Nelson
Professor of Music / Zahn Chair in Choral Conducting
Lia Snead
Assistant Professor of Music
Nicki Toliver
Associate Professor of Music / Associate Director of Choral Activities