In the Footsteps of Martin Luther
500 Years of the Reformation
Martin Luther was a simple monk, who - through his stand of conscience - started an ecclesiastical shock wave that changed the course of Western history. This great Protestant revolutionary held such a strong belief in his faith that eventually he overthrew the all-powerful Catholic Church and reshaped Medieval Europe.
Music Celebrations International has created itineraries that will have your choir visiting many of the locations so important in the life and times of Luther, from Eisleben to Worms to Wittenberg and Leipzig, where you will see his homes, churches, and the sanctuaries he used as refuge while translating the bible into the vernacular.
In addition to walking in the footsteps of Luther, your choir will have the opportunity to honor both past and present musical heritage produced so prominently in Germany. Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Gluck, Händel, Mendelssohn, Pachelbel, Schumann, Stockhausen, Wagner, and von Weber are a short and impressive list of German composers who have contributed to the world musical canon. These composers, the culture of their times and their influences are part of the organized educational sightseeing. The musical experience is enhanced by other sensory experiences and the fact that Germany boasts incredible scenery, art, architecture, and a rich history.
The Luther decade from 2008 to 2017 invites you to take part in various events and tours, in order to search for traces of the original scenes of the Reformation. It will commemorate the 500th anniversary of the nailing of the 95 theses, with which Luther set the Reformation in motion in Wittenberg on 31 October 1517. Exhibitions, concerts, church services, festivals and theatre productions will highlight the importance of the Reformation and the role Martin Luther played in the places he lived and worked.
A summary of the theme years:
| 2008 The start of the Luther decade | | 2013 Reformation and Tolerance |
| 2009 Reformation and Confession | | 2014 Reformation and Politics |
| 2010 Reformation and Education | | 2015 Reformation – Image and Bible |
| 2011 Reformation and Freedom | | 2016 Reformation and the One World |
| 2012 Reformation and Music | | 2017 Anniversary of the Reformation |
