Salzburg Festival and Theatre Children’s Chorus

The Salzburg Festival Children’s Chorus was founded in 2008 by the Salzburg Festival with the goal of supporting music education of children and teenagers and to integrate the ensemble into Festival productions. In addition to its own concerts at the Salzburg Festival and the Easter Festival, the chorus has sung under such renowned conductors like Riccardo Muti, Christian Thielemann, Sir Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Bertrand de Billy, performing with the great orchestras of the Festival: the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Mozarteum Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg and the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. The musical work is framed by rehearsal visits, artist encounters and insights into Festival life. From October 2010 onwards, the Salzburg Festival Children’s Chorus and the Children’s Chorus of the Salzburger Landestheater have merged. The chorus is directed by Wolfgang Götz, and Regina Sgier is its vocal coach.

The members of the chorus are between 6 and 16 years old and come from Austria and Germany. At the moment, the chorus has about 100 young singers, from which choral groups are assembled for individual projects.

In 2012 the Salzburg Festival and Theatre Children’s Chorus will participate in the new productions of Carmen, La bohème and Das Labyrinth.

New members will be accepted throughout the year.
Applications and further information at kinderchor@salzburgfestival.at

From 2008 on, working for and with the younger generation is one of the focal points of the Salzburg Festival program. Everybody complains that parents and schools are failing to educate children and teenagers about and for art. Many lament that the “event” is the only thing that counts these days. Others despair because the so-called “high culture” seems to be aging with its audiences. The Festival, however, will take action. On the one hand, we will actively promote young artists – our most spectacular project is the Young Singers Project. On the other hand, we want to cultivate a new audience. Youth camps, affordable youth tickets, student projects and accompanying events specifically aimed at younger audiences are meant to inspire and develop their joy and understanding of music.