World renowned boys choir in Valencia
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 re-established as a private organisation and since 1926, the Vienna Boys Choir has undertaken around 1,000 tours in 97 different countries.
Gerald Wirth is its artistic director and president.
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. The choirs are named after famous Austrian composers associated with its history, Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart and Schubert, much of whose music they still perform.
The Brucknerchor (Bruckner choir), under choirmaster Manolo Cagnin is giving two performances in the Valencia region, the first of which, at Alicante provincial auditorium (ADDA) on February 25, has already sold out.
The remaining concert is at the Palau de la Música in Valencia on March 1. Tickets for this concert range from €15-€30 and are available through the venue website at www.palauvalen cia.com.
The Bruckner has 25 choirboys who come from Vienna, Lower Austria, and Styria in Austria, as well as England, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Slovakia, South Korea, China and the USA.
“Music is a gift – as musicians we have the obligation to share that gift with our audience,” says Manolo Cagnin.
Of the choirboys he notes: “They possess character and spirit. This is reflected in the way they make music. The children learn from me, and I learn from them.”