Tacoma Arts Live presents the illustrious and world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir on Sunday, October 15 at 3:00 p.m. at Tacoma’s Pantages Theater. Tickets start at $19 and are on sale now.
The Vienna Boys Choir is one of the most famous and oldest choirs in the world. In 1498, Emperor Maximilian I moved his court to Vienna to establish the Chapel Imperial there, along with the Vienna Boys Choir. Over the centuries, the court attracted musicians like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Anton Bruckner. Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Franz Schubert were also choirboys.
Today Vienna Boys Choir is a private, non-profit organization which relies on sponsorship and donations. The Choir maintains a primary school, junior, and senior high school. 300 students between the ages of six and 19 attend the Choir’s Schools in Vienna’s Augarten Park. All receive individual voice lessons and sing in one of the choirs. The Choir’s education is open to all, regardless of their origin, nationality, or religion. About a third of the students go on to become music professionals.
The 100 boy choristers between the ages of nine and fourteen are divided into four choirs. Between them, the choirs provide nearly 300 concerts each year, attended by almost half a million spectators around the world. Since 1924, the boys have sung over 1,000 tours in 100 different countries, which have resulted in a staggering 29,000 performances. Recent highlights include appearances at the Salzburg Festival and at the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert.
October is Tacoma Arts Month, which makes it a perfect time to witness the pure and pristine sounds of Vienna Boys Choir. Tickets for Vienna Boys Choir start at $19 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, call Tacoma Arts Live Box Office at 253.346.1721, visit Tacoma Armory in person at 1001 S Yakima Ave., or go to TacomaArtsLive.org.
