The Kammerstreicher is the Wartburg College chamber orchestra. Formed in 2014 by Dr. Daniel Kaplunas, the Kammerstreicher is now led by Dr. Rebecca Nederhiser, who also conducts the Wartburg Community Symphony Orchestra. The group is comprised of Wartburg students who pursue a variety of majors but have in common skills on violin, viola, cello, and bass.

Repertoire for Kammerstreicher concerts is best described as “eclectic.” Recent performances have featured Baroque and Classical works by Bach, Corelli, and Mozart, standard string orchestra pieces by Britten and Warlock, and arrangements of songs by the Beatles and Radiohead. The group even branches into the realm of improvisation, exploring jazz and bluegrass alongside contemporary classical improvisations and aleatoric music. Since the ensemble is chamber orchestra-sized, opportunities abound for student solos from within the group.

While there have been chamber orchestras at the Wartburg throughout its history, the group became an official curricular ensemble in 2014. In 2016, members of the group agreed upon a name change as the orchestra continued its growth in on- and off-campus visibility. The new name is a nod to Wartburg’s rich German heritage—Kammerstreicher means “chamber strings”—and also stems from a desire of the group to reshape expectations for what a chamber orchestra can be and do.

The group performs twice each semester, including participating in Christmas with Wartburg. Kammerstreicher occasionally joins with the Wartburg Castle Singers for their annual tours.

For additional information or to schedule an audition for the ensemble, please contact Dr. Nederhiser.

Director & Conductor