(c) zoefotografie
(c) zoefotografie

St. Florian Boys Choir

The success of the St. Florian Boys’ Choir lies in the strong foundation of its nigh 1,000-year history. Numerous superb musicians have emerged from its ranks since the founding of the choir, the most eminent one being Anton Bruckner.

 

Today the St. Florian Boys’ Choir is an internationally active choir with a diverse repertoire and a clear goal – to convey the joy of making music to their audience. On frequent concert tours they serve as cultural ambassadors of Europe, bringing the great legacy of Austrian music as well as a contemporary repertoire full of new ideas to all continents of the globe.

 

Over the past decades, the choir has visited all corners of the world and has taken part in major music festivals (among them the Salzburg Festival, the Vienna Festival, the Festival d’Aix en Provence) and it has performed with some of the most famous orchestras (Vienna Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra,…) and conductors time and again.

 

Soloists of the St. Florian Boys’ Choir sing roles composed for boys (e.g. Three Boysm in Mozart’s Magic Flute) in large opera houses (among them Vienna, Salzburg, Berlin, Verona, Barcelona, Aix en Provence, …) on a regular basis.

 

With an aim towards expanding the repertoire of the Boy s’ Choir, the Men’s Choir of the St. Florian Boys’ Choir was founded in 1989. Its ranks are made up for the most part of former Choir Boys who have continued to receive voice training and/or become professional singers, some of whom also perform in other renowned ensembles.

 

The extensive discography which the St. Florian Boys’ Choir has to show for itself includes traditional Austrian music, Volkslieder and Christmas carols as well as recordings of early music in collaboration with renowned special ensembles performing on historic instruments.

 


Reviews & Quotes

Fuldaer Zeitung (on a concert in the series “Nieder-Mooser Konzertsommer”

…Tonal accuracy, perfectly balanced and always inspiring dynamics, vocal agility, radiant good cheer and the occasional dramatic interlude were the hallmarks of this choir. … Even with the smallest boys in the many solo segments, also in duets or trio pieces, the astounding quality of their training could be heard in their voices. Every individual was just as much a soloist as a choir singer. …

 

Michael Wruss, OÖ Nachrichten (on the production of the light opera “The Village Barber” at the Brucknerhaus in Linz)

…under the skilled direction of Michael Nowak, the Choir Boys were quickly in top form and sang, recited and played for all they were worth.

 

Thorsten Preuß, BR Klassik (Bavarian Broadcasting Classical Radio on the CD “Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, Missa Alleluja, Nisi Dominus” )

… and how wonderful it is that Gunar Letzbor chooses not to use women singers, but rather, in tribute to history, the fantastic soloists of the St. Florian Boys’ Choir! During the Ascension one almost feels the angels nearby…

 

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (on the “Three Boys” in Mozart’s Magic Flute at the Vienna Volksoper)

…absolutely excellent: the three St. Florian Choir Boys who, in the tricky Fugato with Pamina, melted together with her vocally in the highest tonal homogeneity.

 

Franz Welser-Möst

“…this major choir, which is head and shoulders above many other choirs thanks to its special sound and its musical quality, and I hope that this tradition will be carried on far into the future with the same spirit.”

 


Video

Discography

 

This is not the full list. You can find a all recordings here.