2024 Salem Festival Chorus Trip to Germany

We are fast approaching our two week trip to Lüdinghausen, Germany, scheduled for this coming July. We have made some progress this year with securing and receiving funding for our student’s travels. However, we still need additional funds, as flight costs alone come to $50.000 for the 34+ students participating. We, at Salem Festival Chorus, are proud to officially be a non-profit organization that provides unique opportunities for local youth. The money we raise goes directly towards securing student airfare and travel expenses. Will you consider continuing your support by making a donation to our program this year?

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide local students the unique opportunity of traveling outside of the United States, performing challenging music in another country, experiencing other cultures outside of their own, and securing long distance friendships for years to come.

Our Story

Please know how much your support makes a difference, not only to this organization, but to the community as a whole.In 2004, the idea of Salem Festival Chorus was born in an online chatroom between two talented music teachers, in two different countries. The vision included a student orchestra from Lüdinghausen, Germany coming all the way to our small town of Salem, NY in the summertime and staying with local families. Through two weeks of rehearsals with Salem’s student choir, the goal was to create and share music in concert, while also learning about each other’s cultures. If all went according to plan, our student choir would then travel to Germany the following summer.

Former music teacher, Richard Butler, and Matthias Lichtenfeld, Orchestra Music Teacher of Musikschulkreis Lüdinghausen created this recurring exchange. Today, Salem’s very own Zachary Eastman, who participated in this exchange program as a student, is ensuring its continuation with Matthias for students in and around our community.