Winston-Salem State University Singing Rams, led by Maestra D’Walla Simmons-Burke, to perform in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria
The Grammy-nominated Winston-Salem State University Singing Rams, led by acclaimed director Maestra D’Walla Simmons-Burke, will perform in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria, June 17 and 19, respectively, in an international tour that will also feature WSSU alumni singers.
Winston-Salem State University’s choir was among only four ensembles nationwide selected to participate in the 2026 Music and Cultural Tour in Austria. Sponsored by MidAmerica Productions, a New York-based performing arts organization that has presented more than 1,500 concerts worldwide over four decades, the event provides the Singing Rams with an opportunity to showcase their talents on an international stage. WSSU Chancellor Bonita J. Brown will join the Singing Rams in Europe.
“I am extremely proud of Maestra Burke, the students, Singing Rams alumni and everyone who has helped to make this once-in-a-lifetime experience possible,” Chancellor Brown said. “At Winston-Salem State University, we pride ourselves on providing students with opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom. This trip to Austria is another example of the excellence we strive for at WSSU, and I look forward to joining audience members in Vienna and Salzburg as they experience the extraordinary talent and artistry of the Singing Rams.”
The Vienna concert will be held in Minoritenkirche, officially known as the Italian National Church of Maria Schnee. Renowned for its acoustics, the Gothic church regularly hosts sacred and classical musical performances. The Salzburg performance will take place in Dom zu Salzburg, one of Austria’s most magnificent cathedrals and the site of Mozart’s baptism in 1756.
Winston-Salem State University’s choir is performing on the “America’s Music” portion of the Austria production, which will give students the chance to share African American musical traditions with global audiences while visiting Vienna, often called the “City of Music,” and Salzburg, widely regarded as one of Europe’s premier music destinations.
Destiny Harris of Winston-Salem is a rising senior and music education major. Her two siblings, one of her aunts and her great-grandmother are WSSU alumni.
“Austria is a very important place when it comes to the development of music, so as a music major, I’m excited to go somewhere I learned about in class,” Harris said, adding she’s grateful to Maestra Burke for making the trip happen.
“She works very hard,” Harris said of the woman who refers to the choir students as her children. “My sister Nadia was a Singing Ram when she attended WSSU, so as a kid I admired Maestra Burke a lot, the way she led the choir with such grace. It seemed effortless.”
The WSSU contingent departs from Charlotte Douglas International Airport June 13 for the trip that’s been two years in the making and is happening, in large part, because of Maestra Burke’s decades-long relationship with MidAmerica Productions.
In 2006, she led the Singing Rams on a performance tour of Prague, Czech Republic, and later she took the choir to South Africa. Domestically, the Singing Rams have performed at Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Washington National Cathedral and Radio City Music Hall. When Maestra Burke told her current choir members about the upcoming Austria trip, they thought she was joking.
For many of them, the trip represents their first time leaving the country. For others it will be their first time flying.
Shenna Stancil of Garner, who graduated from WSSU in 2021 after taking several years off to raise her son, is among the Singing Rams alumni going to Austria and has worked closely with Maestra Burke to organize the trip.
“My choir experience was much more than simply singing — it was a journey of musical excellence, discipline, leadership and personal growth,” Stancil said. “Under the direction of Maestra Burke, I had the opportunity to perform a diverse repertoire, travel and represent the university in various settings.
“I first learned about the Austria trip during one of my regular check-ins with Maestra Burke, and as she shared the vision and details of the opportunity, I immediately knew I had to be a part of it,” Stancil continued. “For me, this journey is about honoring legacy, serving the institution that helped shape me and ensuring that future generations of Singing Rams have the same transformative experiences that I was blessed to receive.”
Trip expenses are being covered through donations from local churches and individual supporters, Maestra Burke said. She expressed special appreciation to Tony Ebron of the WSSU Foundation, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, Kevan L. Turman, and Chancellor Brown for their support.
