Vienna Boys Choir bring song to Doudna

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Adam Tumino | The Daily Eastern News

Audience members leave the Dvorak Concert Hall after a concert by the Vienna Boys Choir on Nov. 14. The concert began at 7:30 p.m. and general admission was $20.

Luke Taylor, Campus Reporter

The Vienna Boys Choir performed a set of around 20 pieces at Eastern on Thursday night. 

Their repertoire included classical, Baroque pieces, Renaissance pieces and music by Strauss, as well as songs from American and Canadian movies and musicals. 

They also performed folk songs from different North and South American countries since this tour’s theme is “Journey Through the Americas.”

The choir is made up of 100 members aged 9 to 14 who divide up into four touring choirs which travel around Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. 

Not all of the members have to be from Vienna; there are online applications to join the group, as well as the associated Girls’ choir and other choirs for different age groups. 

All of the choristers attend the choir’s own private school, which allows them to balance rehearsals, schoolwork and free time more easily. 

They rehearse for a few months to incorporate new members and learn new pieces before leaving to begin a tour, which lasts around 11 weeks. 

The Vienna Boys has been educating children for over 500 years, and their tours are now attended by nearly half a million spectators each year. 

For the last six months, this group has been directed by Manuel Huber, who said that while the children might be rowdy, he still enjoys directing the group. 

“It’s challenging work, but they give you back so much,” Huber said. “They learn very fast as students, but maybe not as fast as professionals.”

Over the course of the tour so far, the children have been visiting amusement parks in the cities they visit and using their free time to play soccer. 

“For the boys, touring is the best part because they don’t have to go to school, and they see a lot of new cities,” Huber said. 

The concert at Eastern was held in Doudna and was attended by community members of all ages. 

Many people may have seen the Vienna Boys’ appearances on television and been encouraged to see them in person. 

Barbara Gard and Linda Salipantee both said they enjoyed the concert. 

“I can’t imagine the practice they must have put in,” said Salipantee. “Eleven weeks is a long time for children to travel.”

Gard said she lives in the Marshall area, and Salipantee, an Eastern alum, traveled from Ohio to visit.

They decided to see the concert after remembering the group from a television special, and were excited to see them visit locally.   

 

Luke Taylor can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].