Boys have been singing at Vienna's Imperial Chapel since 1296. In 1498, Maximilian I (HRR) moved his court to Vienna, lock, stock, and choir, thus founding the “Hofmusikkapelle” (Chapel Imperial), and the Vienna Boys Choir. Over the centuries, the Viennese Court attracted great musicians like Isaac, de Monte, Fux, Caldara, Gluck, Salieri, Mozart, and Bruckner; Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Franz Schubert were themselves, choir boys.

Until 1918, the boys sang exclusively for the court. In the 1920s, the choir was reestablished as a private organization. Since 1926, 2482 Vienna Boys Choir has sung 1000 tours in 97 different countries. Gerald Wirth is its Artistic Director, and its president.

For those of you who haven't heard this before, the Vienna Boys Choir is divided into four sub-groups or touring choirs. The choirs are of equal standing; the tours, appearances in Vienna and recording projects are shared among them. Each choir has a choirmaster and two tutors or prefects who travel with the boys.

In the 2016/17 season, Haydnchor has 25 members, with seven newbies among them: Bastian, Gabriel, Janos, Max, Peter, Simon, and Stefan. They are a motley crew, with boys from Vienna, Burgenland, Lower Austria, Carinthia, Styria, and the Tyrol; from Afghanistan, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Poland, Romania, and the USA. They speak and sing in a number of different languages.

Conductor: Jimmy Chiang

The Hong Kong-born conductor and pianist started his musical career as a teenager. His major breakthrough as a conductor came in 2007 when he won the renowned “Lovro von Matacic” international competition for Young Conductors in Zagreb, Croatia. Chiang received numerous awards and honors at international competitions such as the International Competition for Young Choir Directors in Vienna (2004) and the Golden Key International Society Performing Arts Showcase in USA (2000).

Besides his active performing schedule, Jimmy Chiang devotes himself to music education. He is the artistic advisor of the Hong Kong Children’s Symphony, directing their annual orchestra academy as well as master classes for young conductors. He has been involved with “Kinderoper Papageno”, in touring productions of their children's operas, both as tour leader and performer, reaching over 20,000 children in German-speaking countries.

Program

Puccini, Là, sui monti dell’Est (Over the hills, far away), from the opera Turandot, Words: Giuseppe Adami , Renato Simoni
Irving Berlin, There's No Business Like Show Business ,from the musical Annie Get Your Gun
Aleksandar Tanev, Pizzicati
Michael Haydn, Anima nostra (Our Soul) , MH 452, Words: Psalm 123:7
Schubert, Die Forelle (The Trout), D. 550 , Words: Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart
Bruckner, Virga Jesse floruit (The Root of Jesse Has Blossomed), WAB 52
Marc Shaiman, Hail, Holy Queen, from the movie Sister Act, Arr. Roger Emerson
Carole Bayer Sager & David Foster, The Prayer, from the animated movie Quest for Camelot, Words: Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster, Tony Renis & Alberto Testa
Engelbert Humperdinck, Sandmann und Abendsegen (Sandman and Evening prayer), from the opera Hänsel und Gretel, EHWV 93, Words: Adelheid Wette & Hermann Wette
Emile Waldteufel, Les patineurs (The Skaters). Waltz, opus 183, Words: Tina Breckwoldt; Arr. Manuel Huber
Johann Strauss II, Sängerslust-Polka (Singer's Joy), opus 328, Words: Joseph Weil
Ludwig Gruber, Mei Muatterl war a Weanerin (My mother was from Vienna), opus 1000
Brahms, Wiegenlied (Lullaby), opus 49/4, Words: Traditional (1st verse), Georg Scherer
Brahms, Am Donaustrande, da steht ein Haus (There is a house on the shores of the Danube, from “Liebeslieder-Walzer”, opus 52/9, Words: Traditional (1st verse), Georg Friedrich Daumer
Zoltán Kodály, Túrot eszig a cigány (The gyspy chews cheese)
Petar Liondev, Kaval Sviri (A kaval flute plays), Bulgarian traditional, Arr. Tanya Parvanova
Mykola Leontovich, Shchedryk (New Year's Carol)
Jocular folk song from Serbia, Niška Banja (The hot springs of Niš), Arr. Gerald Wirth
Folk song from Yunnan, Flowing creek (Xiao He Tang Shui)
Wang Shiguang, Song of Jangtse, Words：Hu Hongwei
Johann Strauss II, An der schönen blauen Donau (Blue Danube Waltz), opus 314, Words: Franz von Gernerth; Arr. Gerald Wirth