Vienna Boys’ Choir

Synopsis:

The world's favourite childrens' choir and one of today's most celebrated ambassadors of music returns with a one-night-only concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall. A special segment of the programme features the Vienna Boys' Choir with The kids' philharmonic@sg Orchestra of Singapore. Maestro Manolo Cagnin conducts both the choir and the orchestra.

The Vienna Boys have been singing at the royal court in Vienna since the 15th century. Formed in 1498 by Emperor Maximilian I, the Wiener Sängerknaben's (Vienna Boys' Choir) distinctive sound is unmatched in purity and beauty. From as early as 1926, the Choir performed outside the Austrian Imperial Chapel, paving the way to today's highly successful world tours.

The boys range between 10 to 14 years, and are selected to join the choir's full time training through worldwide auditions. They have their own full-time school at the Augartenpalais, a baroque palace and former imperial hunting lodge in Vienna. Besides music , the school excels in academic subjects, sports and humanities.

Famous singers and composer who sang or worked with the Vienna Boys in the distant past include: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Anton Bruckner and Josef Haydn. Franz Schubert was himself a Vienna Boys chorister.

Gerald Wirth is the Artistic Director of the Vienna Boys' Choir. His distinctive arrangements are a popular feature of the Boys' concerts. The conductor for the Vienna Boys' Choir Asian tour 2016 is Manolo Cagnin. Included in the programme are Viennese waltzes and polkas, motets, art songs and folk songs from around the world.

In recent years, they have performed with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Recent guest conductors include Pierre Boulez, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Zubin Mehta and Riccardo Muti.