Famous company — World-renowned Vienna Boys Choir returning to Altoona
Trending
The Vienna Boys Choir, one of the most famous choirs in the world -- and one of its oldest -- will perform a free concert at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, One Cathedral Square, in Altoona, at 7 p.m. March 14.
The concert is open to the public but each attendant must have a ticket for crowd control and safety, said Leslie C. Thayer, director of music ministry and principal organist at the Cathedral.
Free tickets will be available starting Feb. 12 in the Parish Center Office on 13th Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and for an hour after each weekend Mass. Weekend Masses are held at 5 p.m. Saturdays and 8, 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sundays. Tickets will be distributed inside the 13th Avenue door.
"We want to be fair to everybody," Thayer said, regarding the availability of 1,000 tickets. About 90 of the 1,000 tickets are reserved special seating for benefactors who have contributed to bring the choir to Altoona. A free-will collection will also be taken the evening of the concert to help with expenses.
"We want everyone to have a seat. We don't want anyone standing," Thayer said.
The choir, founded in 1498, last performed in 2019 at the cathedral to an overflowing, appreciative crowd.
"It was standing room only," said Chris Ringkamp, president of the Independent Catholic Foundation, one of the sponsors for the concert. Ringkamp attended the 2019 concert and is looking forward to the upcoming concert. The Independent Catholic Foundation is a nonprofit organization that manages the largest endowment portfolio in the region that is invested according to Catholic teachings.
"They were very well received and are a wonderful group of young musicians who travel the world demonstrating their skills," Ringkamp said of the all-boys choir.
"When you are in a sacred space like the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament ... the added layer of sacred choral music brings you to a different level -- it enhances that experience. It is something that people in our region usually don't have an opportunity to hear unless you travel to a larger city," Ringcamp said.
Cathedral parishioner C. David Kimmel of Altoona, who also serves on the cathedral committee that organizes the event, agrees. He's often seen the choir perform on television but it was a completely different feeling in person.
"To experience them in a live performance was just so thrilling and moving," Kimmel said. "I can't wait to experience it again. It was almost angelic and was unbelievable."
Steve Sloan of the Wolf-Kuhn Foundation said the nonprofit organization supports the concert as a way to continue to fulfill its mission in supporting the arts.
"The Vienna choir is world famous. Blair County is known for liking music. Blair Countians love music and this is a great event," he said.
In 1498, Emperor Maximilian I moved his court to Vienna to establish the Chapel Imperial, 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 themselves choirboys.
Thayer, who is in her eighth year overseeing the cathedral's music ministry, said the touring chorus has about 25 members -- all boys who range in age from 8 to their early teens.
The program of sacred music hasn't been released and the choir is expected to perform for two hours on this stop of its 525th anniversary tour.
The choir's agency in New York City reached out to Thayer to schedule this second concert appearance because of how well the boys were treated and received.
The Vienna Boys Choir is a private, nonprofit organization, which relies on sponsorship and donations. The Choir maintains a primary school, a junior and a senior high school attended by 300 boys and girls between the ages of six and 19. 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 later become music professionals.
The 100 boy choristers between the ages of nine and fourteen are divided into four choirs. Between them, the choirs give about 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 has resulted in a staggering 29,000 performances. At the Sunday services in Vienna's Imperial Chapel, they perform with members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the State Opera Chorus. The Choir frequently appears with major orchestras, conducted by the likes of Joana Mallwitz, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Christian Thielemann and Simone Young. Recent highlights include appearances at the Salzburg Festival and at the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert.
The Vienna Boys Choir's singing tradition is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in Austria. Professor Gerald Wirth, himself a former choirboy, is the artistic director.
Mirror Staff Writer Patt Keith is at 814-949-7030.