by Madison Dors, Student Public Relations Writer
In a country where Protestant evangelism often faces cultural resistance, Cedarville University’s chamber orchestra will spend two weeks using music to open doors for gospel conversations in Italy this spring.
Italy Mission Trip Highlights Challenges for Protestant Evangelism
Italy, where only 4.1% of the population is considered non-Catholic Christian, can be a challenging mission field. With Catholicism deeply ingrained in their culture, many Italians are resistant to hearing the gospel from Protestants. In some public spaces, the orchestra is not permitted to clearly share the gospel, making personal testimonies and one-on-one conversations especially important.
Cedarville Chamber Orchestra to Tour Italy From May 17-29
Led by Carlos Elias, professor of music and orchestra director, the ensemble will travel to Italy from May 17-29. Partnering with local missionaries, the orchestra will begin in Trieste and travel toward Rome, performing in churches and international schools. The group plans to present light classical pieces and sacred repertoire, with students sharing testimonies during intermissions and inviting attendees to speak with them afterward.
Students From Multiple Majors Join Cedarville’s Italy Orchestra Tour
Students participating in the Italy tour include music majors Susanna Beckman (Lindsborg, KS), Alana Harman (Colorado Springs, CO) and Julianna Staufer (Kalamazoo, MI); music performance majors Journey Mohn (Saint Louis, MO), Catherine Estes (Sidney, ME), Laina Burris (Saint Cloud, MN), Daniel Buczynski da Silva (Santos, Brazil), Alayna Jacoby (Tetonia, ID) and Sophia Hamel (Cincinnati, OH); music and English double-majors Aubrie Rickett (Ashland, OH) and Brittney Gilliland (Mount Ayr, IA); music and management double-major Jordyn Tousley (Medina, OH); computer engineering major Albie Morrison (Franklin, IN) and English major Sophia Camillone (Shoreham, NY).
Music Creates Opportunities for Evangelism and Gospel Conversations
“It’s a great opportunity for the students because they can see how music can be a venue for evangelism,” said Elias.
Elias said that after the group faced restrictions for explicitly proclaiming the gospel in a concert hall during its 2023 trip, he came away with a renewed appreciation for how testimonies and personal conversations can create opportunities for deeper discussions about faith. He hopes this year’s concerts will encourage attendees to stay afterward and continue those conversations. Testimonies often focus on how the Lord helped students through a specific season of life rather than on their salvation stories.
Previous Italy Tour Showed the Impact of Music Ministry
On a previous trip, Elias met a couple who attended a concert. While the wife was a believer, the husband initially showed interest only in the music. After hearing the orchestra perform, the couple invited the group into their home, where conversations moved from music to faith. As a result, the husband was encouraged to begin attending church with his wife.
To prepare for these conversations, Elias encourages students to represent Christ well through their actions as well as their words.
The trip is part of Cedarville’s Global Outreach program, which has sent more than 11,000 students on national and international missions trips over the past 55 years. Trips take place during summer, spring and fall breaks.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
