Moravian Singstunde

Overview

Traditional Moravian Singstunde with the 1776 Tannenberg Organ

Sunday, November 30, 2025 • 2:00-3:30 PM
Moravian Historical Society • Nazareth, PA 18064

Free Admission • Reservations Recommended

Experience a 300-year-old musical tradition in the intimate Saal of the Moravian Historical Society’s museum. We invite you to join us for a traditional Moravian Singstunde, or singing hour, beautifully accompanied by the historic 1776 Tannenberg Organ. This special program celebrates the Advent and Christmas season through music and reflection, with hymns sung in both English and German.
The afternoon will be led by Kyle Johnston, associate director of the Moravian Music Foundation. A professionally trained vocalist, conductor, and multi-instrumentalist, Johnston will introduce the history and meaning of the Singstunde before guiding participants through the traditional communal singing. With expertise in early American hymnody and years of experience performing on historic instruments—including the 1798 Tannenberg Organ at Old Salem—Johnston brings deep knowledge and artistry to this immersive musical experience.

Central to the program is the Society’s 1776 Tannenberg Organ, one of only nine surviving instruments crafted by famed Moravian organ builder David Tannenberg. Considered among the best preserved, the organ remains fully playable with all original pipes. Remarkably, it is the very instrument played for George Washington during his 1782 visit to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, offering today’s listeners the same sounds heard nearly two and a half centuries ago.

This Singstunde invites visitors to learn, reflect, and raise their voices together as part of an enduring Moravian tradition. Seating in the museum Saal is limited, and reservations are recommended.

The Moravian Historical Society Museum is open daily from 1:00–4:00 p.m.