On March 28, 30 members of the Cumberland Choral Arts traveled from Fayetteville to Munich, Germany. From there, they spent the next week touring significant musical locations in Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague, learning and performing.
Dr. Michael Martin, Artistic Director for Cumberland Choral Arts, had taken other choirs that he’s led on trips to New York and other countries, so he knew the potential benefits for the performers. When the opportunity arose for the current choir to embark on an overseas adventure, there was no doubt that they would jump at the chance.
In the first portion of the tour, the group spent time in Austria, primarily in Salzburg and Vienna. This part of Europe is where prolific composers lived, worked, and performed: Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Bruckner, and more. Martin describes Vienna as a city of musicians, with people playing music on every corner.
The group visited St. Florian monastery, which hosts an extensive exhibit on the work of composer Anton Bruckner. While there, the group performed a brief impromptu concert. They also visited the palace of Eisenstadt just outside of Vienna. The palace was home to Prince Joseph of the Esterhazy family, who contracted composer Joseph Haydn. The palace was the composer’s home for nearly 40 years. The tour of the palace taught that people who worked for the royal family were treated and paid well, and they were very loyal to their employers.
There was a day trip to the spa town of Baden, just south of Vienna, where Beethoven spent many of his summers. Residents of the town today are proud of the connection to the famous composer, but evidently, that wasn’t always the case; in Beethoven’s later years as his hearing declined, his playing and swearing got louder, causing his neighbors to resent his presence. Some of the group also went on a “Sound of Music” tour, learning about the real Von Trapp family that inspired the famous musical play and film.
The St. Leonhard chapel in Salzburg was another highlight. This chapel was where the song “Silent Night” was composed and originally performed. After learning about the men who wrote the song and how it was inspired, the group sang the song in the place where it was first sung.
After soaking up the music and history in and around Vienna, the tour continued to Prague. Prague has similar historical and current significance when it comes to music. Many prolific composers also worked and performed in Prague, and the city is still considered to be a city of music.
The group performed 4 planned concerts but also sang 3 impromptu performances. The performances were well-attended and well-received. Audiences were eager to hear the musicians and appreciated their artistry.
Martin, President Sandy Cage, and the entire board of the Cumberland Choral Arts hope that the Spring 2024 tour was just the first of many such opportunities for the organization. Martin states, “If there is anything that is the solution to the problems of this world, it’s getting to know each other.”
The chance to travel to another part of the world and interact with the people there was a unique lesson in how we are all more similar than we may seem from a distance. Martin states that everywhere they went, people were kind, helpful, and eager to share their love of music.
The 2024-2025 season of Cumberland Choral Arts kicks off in August. The upcoming season will include a June trip to New York City and a performance at Carnegie Hall, which will feature Martin as guest conductor for one piece. Anyone interested in singing with the choir can find more information at their website,
www.cumberlandchoralarts.org.

(Photo: Members of Cumberland Choral Arts pose during a walk in Prague on their European Tour)