Vienna Boys' Choir

In 1998 the Vienna Boys' Choir celebrated its 500th anniversary. The institution of the K.K. - choirboys was funded through the emperor's private means until 1918. After the demise of the monarchy, the chapel was closed and soon after (1920) the boys' choir, too, was facing its end. For a while women of the opera's choir took over the upper voices/scales in the ensemble. Only in 1924 a boys' choir was reinstalled, and the Imperial Chapel has remained its major place of performance ever since.

In 1926, the rector of the choir, Josef Schnitt, started organizing performances outside the chapel on a bigger scale and with a wider musical range in order to secure the choir' s continuance a tradition which continues today and brings pleasure to people all around the globe. The rooms of the Augarten-Palais offer the ideal surrounding for the approx. 200 youngsters, as well as for the institutional staff.

The high standard of the choir can only be maintained through intensive quality education, but also requires the boys to be motivated in what they do. The various educational establishments (a musical kindergarten, primary school and high school) for the boys intend to offer them the best foundation in precisely these fields.