Enjoy Music At The 2012 Luther Decade

Would you believe that we’re halfway through the momentous Luther Decade? Every year for the last five, all sorts of festivals and other programs have taken place to lead up to October 31, 2017, the official marking of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

What makes 2012 so remarkable is that this year’s highlight is music, so many events and programs have taken this into account.

The year of music kicked off just right in Erfurt where the new year’s events started with a choir concert at St. Thomas’ Church.

It’s all right if you missed it (lucky if you got to go). Here’s a listing of other events for the rest of the year so you don’t miss anymore.

In Eisenach at the Bach House there’s a special exhibit on the Book of Songs from Feb 25–Nov 11. Not running quite as long, the Thuringian Bach Weeks (March 30–April 22) is one of the largest music festivals in the country — special church services will also be taking place throughout the month.

Also in Eisenach there’s a grand birthday celebration for Martin’s 528th birthday on November 10. Oh sorry, I jumped ahead there. ;-)

For almost a full year at the Wartburg Castle (May 4, 2012–March 31, 2013) all sorts of exhibitions are going on where Luther translated the New Testament into German. The room in which he accomplished this task looks pretty much like it did 500 years ago.

October 31 marks Reformation Day (Reformationstag) and celebrate with the Reformation Festival. There will be plenty of special services throughout Thuringia on the day that Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the church door; an event that started a revolution.

From November 29,2012 to January 30, 2013 at the Heinrich-Schütz-Haus in Bad Köstritz you’ll be treated to a special exhibit on Martin Luther and Christmas.

Stay tuned. I’ll certainly keep you updated for the upcoming 2013 Reformation & Tolerance, the 2014 Reformation & Politics, and the 2015 Reformation Art & the Bible yearly events. Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? :-)