Our Sing Along Concerts in Vienna offer individual singers and choirs the opportunity to perform an important work of choral music in Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral in a professionally organized concert. For 17 years, individual amateur singers and choirs from all over the world come to Austria to be part of this unique Sing Along experience.
Under the direction of a renowned choirmaster you will be studying the relevant piece for several days in rehearsals during the Sing Along! Choir Festival. As part of the Sing Along! Festival Choir newly formed for each piece, you will then perform the work together with your fellow international singers, the Cathedral Orchestra and renowned soloists in a festive final concert in front of a broad audience in Vienna's St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
Meet The Artistic Directors

Artistic Director of the Sing Alongs in Vienna

Artistic Director of Sing Alongs
Sing Along! Gallery
J. Haydn, The Creation
6 to 8 July 2023 | St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna
Registration for "Haydn, The Creation" is closed as the maximum number of participants has been reached!
Perform J. Haydn's Creation as part of the Sing Along! Festival Chorus, 225 years after its first performance in 1798 at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. As if driven by a higher power, Haydn created this elemental, large-scale work in just two years and fell seriously ill shortly after the premiere. The 66-year-old Haydn describes the act of creation in a way that is both powerful and uplifting.
The German version of the work will be worked on in workshops lasting several days under the direction of Prof. Gerald Wirth, artistic director of the Vienna Boys' Choir, and then performed together with the Vienna Cathedral Orchestra and renowned soloists as a festive final concert in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Repertoire and Composers
Repertoire
J. Haydn - The Creation (Hob. XXI:2) (German Version)
Haydn's great oratorio attempts to bring us closer to the creation of the world, to the creative work of God, through musical means. The wonderful music creates an unspoiled, naïve view of the creation, focusing above all on the deep, human wonder at the beauty of creation, God's marvelous work.
The three textual sources are the Book of Genesis, the Book of Psalms, and John Milton's Genesis epos Paradise Lost. The material was adapted into an oratorio libretto originally intended for Handel. However, Handel never set it to music. Haydn's host in England, Johann Peter Salomon, came into possession of a copy of that libretto and passed it on to Haydn, who had become acquainted with Handel's oratorios in England and wanted to try to create such a work with the stylistic means of Viennese Classicism.
When Haydn returned to Vienna, he handed it over to his friend and patron Baron Gottfried van Swieten, who arranged for a German translation. The composition was written between October 1796 and April 1798 and was inspirational to Haydn, and according to his own statement, a fundamental religious experience. He worked on the project to exhaustion and fell seriously ill after the premiere. The Creation was first performed under the composer's direction on April 29 and 30, 1798, at the Schwarzenberg City Palace, which no longer exists.
These preliminary performances took place before a closed audience and allowed Haydn to make corrections in preparation for the public premiere. This performance, also very successful, took place on March 19, 1799, at the old Burgtheater in Vienna. A re-translation of the text into English then followed. The first English performance took place in 1800 at Covent Garden in London. Subsequently, the work was performed all over Europe and is still part of the classical repertoire worldwide with countless performances and recordings.
Composers
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732, into a musical family living in poor circumstances in Rohrau (Lower Austria). At the age of eight he came to St. Stephan as a choirboy. After his voice broke, he left the choir. For the next ten years he worked as a music teacher and repetitor and helped out as a singer at masses on Sundays and holidays. He became a valet and accompanist to the Italian composer Nicola Porpora and lived in poor conditions in an apartment on Michaelerplatz. In 1759, at the age of 26, Haydn became music director and composer at the court of Prince Morzin, for whom he wrote his first symphonies and instrumental works. In 1761 he came to the court of the Esterházys, a very wealthy aristocratic family. There he developed his own style and experimented with the just emerging style of Viennese Classicism.
In his younger years, Haydn wrote mostly instrumental music for the prince's table music and concerts, which were held every two weeks. He also wrote about 125 trios in ten years for the prince's instrument, the baryton. In 1790 Nicholas (Prince Miklós) Esterházy died and his son Prince Antal had no interest in music. Nevertheless, Haydn remained in his service, but had the freedom to move to Vienna and travel.
During his first trip to London in 1791-1792, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Oxford University. Haydn composed his last twelve symphonies, the so-called Salomon or London symphonies, for performances in London, which became great successes. Haydn spent the last ten years of his life in Vienna, writing a large number of masses in the Austrian Mass tradition.
Following this great success, Haydn composed The Seasons (1799-1801), which he completed at the age of 67. This work marks not only the beginning of a new century, but also the transition from objective classicism to more subjective romanticism. Haydn died peacefully on May 31, 1809, in Vienna, where many of his admirers kept vigil outside the house.
Schedule
Thursday, 6 July 2023
Afternoon: rehearsal no. 1
Evening: Welcome-Reception in the roof atrium of St. Stephen’s
Friday, 7 July 2023
Morning: rehearsal no. 2
Afternoon: rehearsal no. 3
Saturday, 8 July 2023
Morning: dress rehearsal with the Vienna Cathedral Orchestra
Evening: festive concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral
Afterwards: Concert-Reception
Concert in St. Stephen's Cathedral
The festive finale of the 37th Sing Along! Choir Festival is the performance of Haydn's Creation in St. Stephen's Cathedral in front of a grand audience. In this way, you continue the tradition of music in the cathedral and follow in the footsteps of great composers. It was in St. Stephen's Cathedral that Joseph and his brother Michael Haydn received extensive musical training as choirboys. Joseph Haydn married here, as did Johann Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
For Mozart, St. Stephen's Cathedral played an important role throughout his life, especially when he lived in the nearby Figaro House, but also after his death: He married Constanze Weber here, had two of his children baptized in the cathedral and a few months before his death, Mozart applied for the position of music director adjunct at St. Stephen's. Mozart's name can be found both in the record of his death and in the cathedral's Book of Death Fees.
Apart from Mozart, Antonio Vivaldi, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Antonio Salieri, Franz Schubert and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are also recorded here in the Book of Death Fees.
Gerald Wirth
Vienna Boys Choir, Artistic Director
Superar, Co-Founder
Wirth Music Academy, Founder and Pedagogical Director
Gerald Wirth has been artistic director of the Vienna Boys Choir since 2001 and its president since 2013. He continues the choir's long tradition, while at the same time seeking new challenges for the boys' choir as an instrument. Wirth has initiated a number of trend-setting projects in connection with children's operas, world music and film music. In 2008 Gerald Wirth co-founded the music-social project "Superar", which aims to open up quality access to music for children and young people across all social, cultural and linguistic barriers. The "Wirth Music Academy", which he co-founded, organizes training and further education; it also works together with institutions in Asia and South America.
The regular work with children and musicians all over the world (Stimmbogen Austria, El Sistema in Venezuela, Mozartchoir of India, music pedagogy training in Jordan, VBCMA Hong Kong, regular exchanges with music pedagogues in China, etc.) has an immense influence on his artistic activities; as has his collaboration with well-known artistic personalities from various genres such as Nicolaus Hanoncourt, Ricardo Muti, Pierre Boulez, Bertrand de Billy, Ravi Shankar, Zubin Metha, Peter Wolf and many others.
Gerald Wirth is not only concerned with perfecting musical performance, but much more with music as a medium that positively influences every area of the personality. Over the years he has developed his own method of elementary and general music education, with which people of all ages can learn to express themselves in music.
Vienna Cathedral Orchestra
The Vienna Cathedral Orchestra is made up of musicians from all the major Viennese orchestras. The spectrum ranges from chamber music ensembles to the romantic symphony orchestra. At the Sunday High Masses, at many other services organized by the Cathedral Music, at special events and at the concerts of the Cathedral Music, the Cathedral Orchestra is the partner of soloists and choir.
The history of music in St. Stephen's Cathedral probably goes back as far as liturgy has been celebrated in this church, i.e. at least 870 years! The first documented mention of the organized church music is in the abbey letter of Duke Rudolf IV from the year 1365, in which in connection with the establishment of a collegiate chapter (today's cathedral chapter) also a cantor is mentioned, who was responsible for choirmaster, choristers and pupils (Stephaner Sängerknaben). Among the prominent musicians who were active at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Johann Joseph Fux, the brothers Michael and Joseph Haydn, and Wolfgang Amadé Mozart may be mentioned.
Scores and Practicing
You can add the scores for the piece to your registration when booking. We will use the Carus edition at the Sing Along! Choir Festival. Within Europe we will be happy to send the scores to you in early April. Order deadline is March 31st 2023. If you already have the scores or prefer to order them yourself, you can find the edition directly at Carus: Haydn’s The Creation: Carus 51.990/05. The German version of the musical piece will be rehearsed and performed.
W. A. Mozart, Coronation Mass
& G. F. Händel, Dettingen Te Deum
13 to 15 July 2023 | St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna
Sing W.A. Mozart's Coronation Mass and Handel's Dettingen Te Deum 280 years after its premiere in a sing-along concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. Because of their length and the musical inspiration Mozart gained from Handel's music, these two works fit together perfectly and fill a concert evening to perfection.
Under the direction of Prof. Gerald Wirth, Artistic Director of the Vienna Boys' Choir, you will study the works, Coronation Mass and Dettingen Te Deum (English version), over several days in workshops and then perform them as part of the Sing Along! Festival Choir formed as a result in a large-scale evening concert in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral. Accompanied by the orchestra of the Vienna Cathedral Music and renowned soloists.
Repertoire and Composers
Repertoire
W. A. Mozart - Coronation Mass (KV 317)
After Mozart's unlucky trips to Mannheim and Paris, he reluctantly returned to Salzburg in 1779, in service as court organist and concertmaster to Archbishop Hieronymus von Colloredo.
It is very likely that the Mass was composed for the Easter service at Salzburg Cathedral on April 4, 1779; Mozart himself dated it March 23, 1779. This assumption is supported by the large orchestration and the fact that the violas are missing, as was customary in Salzburg at the time. How Mozart's Mass in C major came to be nicknamed the Coronation Mass, which first appeared in 1873, is still disputed today.
Immediately after Mozart's death, the Mass became the preferred composition for services at imperial and royal coronations as well as thanksgiving services. It was probably first used as part of the coronation festivities for Emperor Franz II. The name Coronation Mass, which was probably originally used internally by the orchestra, soon became commonplace, starting with the Vienna Hofmusikkapelle.
For a long time, it was assumed that the composer had written it on the occasion of the jubilee of the image of the Virgin Mary in the pilgrimage church of Maria Plain near Salzburg. An unprovable statement that stubbornly persists.
G. F. Handel - Dettingen Te Deum (HWV 283) (English Version)
2023 marks both the 280th anniversary of the composition and the Battle of Dettingen. Handel composed the Dettingen Te Deum for a thanksgiving service to mark the victory of the Austro-British military under the command of King George II and Lord Stair over French forces at the Battle of Dettingen on June 27, 1743. After the king's return, a day of public thanksgiving was scheduled, and Handel, then "Composer of the Musick to the Chapel Royal," was commissioned to write a Te Deum for the occasion. The work was composed between July 17 and 29, 1743, and premiered on November 27, 1743, in the Chapel Royal of St. James's Palace in London in the presence of George II.
The Dettingen Te Deum is a glorious example of how Handel was able to set the tone for festive occasions in an unparalleled manner. Handel gives expression to the sublime character of the official work with extensive use of timpani and trumpets. Gentler and more serious movements complement the work effectively. The textual basis is the early church Te Deum in the English version of the Book of Common Prayer. The sound impression of the broadly conceived work is determined by the choruses. A number of references to the "Messiah," composed shortly before, are conspicuous.
Composers
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
The youngest child and only surviving son of the Austrian composer Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus received his early musical education from his father. His musical talent was evident from the very beginning, and as a result Mozart is considered one of the greatest musical geniuses of all.
At the age of six, Wolfgang and his very talented sister "Nannerl" went on their first major tour with their father to the most important ruling courts of Europe, where they delighted audiences with virtuoso concerts on the harpsichord. This concert tour was to be followed by many more. Of all the places where Mozart gave concerts during his travels, it was Italy where he received the greatest joy and recognition.
After that followed a rather disappointing period for father and son. As Mozart grew older, his popularity waned and he initially had trouble finding work. Eventually Mozart was offered the position of court and cathedral organist by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. At the beginning of 1781, the commissioned work, the opera Idomeneo, was premiered in Munich for the Regent of Bavaria. The success of the opera strengthened Mozart's decision to move to Vienna, where he was favorably received by the nobility.
He thus spent the last ten years of his life, often in straitened financial circumstances, in Vienna with his wife, the singer Constanze Weber. Initial success with German and Italian opera and with a large number of concerts was followed by a period of great financial difficulties. Although this development had no direct effect on Mozart's music, it eventually destroyed his health. Mozart became seriously ill and died on the morning of December 5, 1791. Mozart was buried in an ordinary tombstone-less grave in Vienna, at the St. Marx cemetery.
Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759)
The year 1685 brought forth the two most important composers of the Baroque era. Besides Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel was born in this year. Already famous during his lifetime, Handel gained the greatest recognition during his time as a court composer for the English crown, when he wrote world-famous works such as the Coronation Anthems and Messiah. Especially in the genre of oratorios and operas there was no comparable composer at that time. Since then, Handel has enjoyed a reputation as a true grand master of choral music - a legacy that can still be heard and admired today.
The young George Frideric Handel spent four years traveling through Italy to learn the intricacies of Italian opera and the craft of composition from such masters of the day as Corelli, Scarlatti and others. In 1710 he took up the post of Kapellmeister to the Elector of Hanover (later to become King George I of Great Britain). Handel's first years in London were secured by royal and aristocratic patronage, such as the Duke of Chandos, for whom Handel composed the Chandos Anthems.
In 1719 Handel took over the direction of the newly founded Royal Academy of Music to perform operas in the Italian style. He retained this role until the mid-1730s, when fashions changed. In 1737 Handel began to suffer from a serious illness, probably the effects of a stroke. The focus of his works shifted to oratorios and music for the new middle class. The oratorios Saul and Israel in Egypt were premiered in 1738, and Messiah four years later.
It is not known whether Handel ever met Johann Sebastian Bach, although they were contemporaries (both were born within a month of each other) and grew up in Halle and Eisenach, which are less than 200 km apart. These two old masters of Baroque music are stylistically different, partly because they composed for very different audiences. Handel for the theater and Bach for church and court. Bach is credited with having said "Handel is the only person I would wish to see before I die and the only person I would wish to be if I were not Bach." Beethoven himself called Handel the greatest composer with the quote "Handel, before him I go down on my knees."
Schedule
Thursday, 13 July 2023
Afternoon: rehearsal no. 1
Evening: Welcome-Reception in the roof atrium of St. Stephen’s
Friday, 14 July 2023
Morning: rehearsal no. 2
Afternoon: rehearsal no. 3
Saturday, 15 July 2023
Morning: dress rehearsal with the Vienna Cathedral Orchestra
Evening: festive concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral
Afterwards: Concert-Reception
Concert in St. Stephen's Cathedral
The festive finale of the 38th Sing Along! Choir Festival is the performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Händel's Dettingen Te Deum in St. Stephen's Cathedral in front of a grand audience. In this way, you continue the tradition of music in the cathedral and follow in the footsteps of great composers. It was in St. Stephen's Cathedral that Joseph and his brother Michael Haydn received extensive musical training as choirboys. Joseph Haydn married here, as did Johann Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
For Mozart, St. Stephen's Cathedral played an important role throughout his life, especially when he lived in the nearby Figaro House, but also after his death: He married Constanze Weber here, had two of his children baptized in the cathedral and a few months before his death, Mozart applied for the position of music director adjunct at St. Stephen's. Mozart's name can be found both in the record of his death and in the cathedral's Book of Death Fees.
Apart from Mozart, Antonio Vivaldi, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Antonio Salieri, Franz Schubert and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are also recorded here in the Book of Death Fees.
Gerald Wirth
Vienna Boys Choir, Artistic Director
Superar, Co-Founder
Wirth Music Academy, Founder and Pedagogical Director
Gerald Wirth has been artistic director of the Vienna Boys Choir since 2001 and its president since 2013. He continues the choir's long tradition, while at the same time seeking new challenges for the boys' choir as an instrument. Wirth has initiated a number of trend-setting projects in connection with children's operas, world music and film music. In 2008 Gerald Wirth co-founded the music-social project "Superar", which aims to open up quality access to music for children and young people across all social, cultural and linguistic barriers. The "Wirth Music Academy", which he co-founded, organizes training and further education; it also works together with institutions in Asia and South America.
The regular work with children and musicians all over the world (Stimmbogen Austria, El Sistema in Venezuela, Mozartchoir of India, music pedagogy training in Jordan, VBCMA Hong Kong, regular exchanges with music pedagogues in China, etc.) has an immense influence on his artistic activities; as has his collaboration with well-known artistic personalities from various genres such as Nicolaus Hanoncourt, Ricardo Muti, Pierre Boulez, Bertrand de Billy, Ravi Shankar, Zubin Metha, Peter Wolf and many others.
Gerald Wirth is not only concerned with perfecting musical performance, but much more with music as a medium that positively influences every area of the personality. Over the years he has developed his own method of elementary and general music education, with which people of all ages can learn to express themselves in music.
Vienna Cathedral Orchestra
The Vienna Cathedral Orchestra is made up of musicians from all the major Viennese orchestras. The spectrum ranges from chamber music ensembles to the romantic symphony orchestra. At the Sunday High Masses, at many other services organized by the Cathedral Music, at special events and at the concerts of the Cathedral Music, the Cathedral Orchestra is the partner of soloists and choir.
The history of music in St. Stephen's Cathedral probably goes back as far as liturgy has been celebrated in this church, i.e. at least 870 years! The first documented mention of the organized church music is in the abbey letter of Duke Rudolf IV from the year 1365, in which in connection with the establishment of a collegiate chapter (today's cathedral chapter) also a cantor is mentioned, who was responsible for choirmaster, choristers and pupils (Stephaner Sängerknaben). Among the prominent musicians who were active at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Johann Joseph Fux, the brothers Michael and Joseph Haydn, and Wolfgang Amadé Mozart may be mentioned.
Scores and Practicing
You can add the scores for the piece to your registration when booking. We will use the Carus edition at the Sing Along! Choir Festival. Within Europe we will be happy to send the scores to you in early April. Order deadline is March 31st 2023. If you already have the scores or prefer to order them yourself, you can find the edition directly at Carus: Mozart Coronation Mass: Carus 40.618/05; Handel Dettingen Te Deum: Carus 55.283/05
Dettinger Te Deum will be rehearsed and performed in its English version.
W. A. Mozart, Requiem
29 to 31 October 2023 | St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna
Perform Mozart’s Requiem (KV 626) fitting for All Saints Day at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. Mozart’s Requiem is one of the best and most moving pieces classical music has to offer. After his death, Mozart was laid out in St. Stephen's, before being transported to St. Marx cemetery in Vienna.
Under the direction of Prof. Gerald Wirth, Artistic Director of the Vienna Boys' Choir, you will work on the piece over several days in German- and English-language rehearsals. Together with renowned soloists and the Vienna Cathedral Orchestra, you will perform Mendelssohn's Elias as part of the Sing Along! Festival Choir in a festive concert at St. Stephen's.
Repertoire and Composers
Repertoire
Requiem (KV 626) - W. A. Mozart
When Wolfgang Amadé Mozart died on 5 December 1791, he left his Requiem in D minor (K. 626) unfinished. By the time of his death on 5 December 1791, he had only written down the opening movement of the Introit (Requiem aeternam) with all the orchestral and vocal parts. The following Kyrie and most of the Dies irae sequence (from the Dies irae to the Confutatis) were completed only in the vocal parts and the figured bass; in addition, some important orchestral parts (such as the trombone solo in the Tuba mirum, and more often the voice of the first violins) were briefly sketched. The last movement of the sequence, the Lacrimosa, broke off after eight bars and remained incomplete. The following two movements of the Offertory, the Domine Jesu Christe and the Hostias, were again elaborated in the vocal parts and partly in the continuo.
Through intermediaries acting for the eccentric Count Franz von Walsegg, Mozart was commissioned to compose a Requiem. The Count, who was an amateur musician and often commissioned works only to pass them off as his own composition (a practice that was widespread at the time), requested a Requiem to be performed in memory of his recently deceased wife. Mozart received half the payment in advance, so after Mozart's death his widow Konstanze was keen to have the work completed quickly and secretly by someone else so that she could deliver it as Mozart's composition and collect the remaining payment. At first she turned to Joseph Eybler. He worked on the orchestration of the movements from the Dies irae to the Lacrimosa, but then returned the commission.
The work was then entrusted to Franz Xaver Süßmayr, composer and pupil of Mozart, who was able to draw on Eybler's work for the orchestration. Süßmayr completed the orchestration of the Sequence as well as the Offertory, finished the Lacrimosa and composed further movements: Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei. Then he completed the Communio (Lux aeterna) by repeating the two opening movements, which Mozart had still composed himself, and underlaying them with the text of the Lux aeterna.
The completed composition, begun by Mozart and largely completed by Süssmayr, was given to Count Franz von Walsegg with Mozart's forged signature and dated 1792. The confusion surrounding the circumstances of this Requiem composition was largely spread by Mozart's widow Konstanze herself. Konstanze had a difficult task ahead of her: she had to keep the secret that Mozart had died before completing the composition so that she could claim the balance of the payment for the commissioned work. For a time, she had to keep secret that Süssmayr was involved with the composition in order to make Count Walsegg believe that he had Mozart's work in his hands. After receiving the balance of the fee, she had to promote the work as Mozart's composition in order to continue to use it as a source of income for publications and performances. During this phase, it was still important to make the public believe that Mozart had composed the entire work himself in order to extract higher sums from publishers and public performances. It is thanks to Konstanze that the first half-truths and myths began to circulate almost immediately after Mozart's death. She claimed that Mozart had declared that he was writing the Requiem for himself and that he had been poisoned. His condition deteriorated and he began to complain of painful swelling of his body and high fever. Despite all this, Mozart continued to work on the Requiem and even on the last day of his life he explained to his assistant how he intended to end the work. Even in biographies written shortly after Mozart's death, there are numerous inconsistencies that make it almost impossible to solve all the mysteries surrounding Mozart's last composition.
Composers
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
The youngest child and only surviving son of the Austrian composer Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus received his early musical education from his father. His musical talent was evident from the very beginning, and as a result Mozart is considered one of the greatest musical geniuses of all.
At the age of six, Wolfgang and his very talented sister "Nannerl" went on their first major tour with their father to the most important ruling courts of Europe, where they delighted audiences with virtuoso concerts on the harpsichord. This concert tour was to be followed by many more. Of all the places where Mozart gave concerts during his travels, it was Italy where he received the greatest joy and recognition.
After that followed a rather disappointing period for father and son. As Mozart grew older, his popularity waned and he initially had trouble finding work. Eventually Mozart was offered the position of court and cathedral organist by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. At the beginning of 1781, the commissioned work, the opera Idomeneo, was premiered in Munich for the Regent of Bavaria. The success of the opera strengthened Mozart's decision to move to Vienna, where he was favorably received by the nobility.
He thus spent the last ten years of his life, often in straitened financial circumstances, in Vienna with his wife, the singer Constanze Weber. Initial success with German and Italian opera and with a large number of concerts was followed by a period of great financial difficulties. Although this development had no direct effect on Mozart's music, it eventually destroyed his health. Mozart became seriously ill and died on the morning of December 5, 1791. Mozart was buried in an ordinary tombstone-less grave in Vienna, at the St. Marx cemetery.
Schedule
Sunday, 29 October 2023
Afternoon: rehearsal no. 1
Evening: welcome-reception in the roof atrium of St. Stephen’s
Monday, 30 October 2023
Morning: rehearsal no. 2
Afternoon: rehearsal no. 3
Tuesday, 31 October 2023
Morning: dress rehearsal with the Vienna Cathedral Orchestra
Evening: festive concert at St. Stephen's Cathedral
Followed by: concert-reception
Concert in St. Stephen's Cathedral
The festive finale of the 39th Sing Along! Choir Festival is the performance of Mozart’s Requiem in St. Stephen's Cathedral in front of a grand audience. In this way, you continue the tradition of music in the cathedral and follow in the footsteps of great composers. It was in St. Stephen's Cathedral that Joseph and his brother Michael Haydn received extensive musical training as choirboys. Joseph Haydn married here, as did Johann Strauss and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
For Mozart, St. Stephen's Cathedral played an important role throughout his life, especially when he lived in the nearby Figaro House, but also after his death: He married Constanze Weber here, had two of his children baptized in the cathedral and a few months before his death, Mozart applied for the position of music director adjunct at St. Stephen's. Mozart's name can be found both in the record of his death and in the cathedral's Book of Death Fees.
Apart from Mozart, Antonio Vivaldi, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Antonio Salieri, Franz Schubert and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are also recorded here in the Book of Death Fees.
Gerald Wirth
Vienna Boys Choir, Artistic Director
Superar, Co-Founder
Wirth Music Academy, Founder and Pedagogical Director
Gerald Wirth has been artistic director of the Vienna Boys Choir since 2001 and its president since 2013. He continues the choir's long tradition, while at the same time seeking new challenges for the boys' choir as an instrument. Wirth has initiated a number of trend-setting projects in connection with children's operas, world music and film music. In 2008 Gerald Wirth co-founded the music-social project "Superar", which aims to open up quality access to music for children and young people across all social, cultural and linguistic barriers. The "Wirth Music Academy", which he co-founded, organizes training and further education; it also works together with institutions in Asia and South America.
The regular work with children and musicians all over the world (Stimmbogen Austria, El Sistema in Venezuela, Mozartchoir of India, music pedagogy training in Jordan, VBCMA Hong Kong, regular exchanges with music pedagogues in China, etc.) has an immense influence on his artistic activities; as has his collaboration with well-known artistic personalities from various genres such as Nicolaus Hanoncourt, Ricardo Muti, Pierre Boulez, Bertrand de Billy, Ravi Shankar, Zubin Metha, Peter Wolf and many others.
Gerald Wirth is not only concerned with perfecting musical performance, but much more with music as a medium that positively influences every area of the personality. Over the years he has developed his own method of elementary and general music education, with which people of all ages can learn to express themselves in music.
Vienna Cathedral Orchestra
The Vienna Cathedral Orchestra is made up of musicians from all the major Viennese orchestras. The spectrum ranges from chamber music ensembles to the romantic symphony orchestra. At the Sunday High Masses, at many other services organized by the Cathedral Music, at special events and at the concerts of the Cathedral Music, the Cathedral Orchestra is the partner of soloists and choir.
The history of music in St. Stephen's Cathedral probably goes back as far as liturgy has been celebrated in this church, i.e. at least 870 years! The first documented mention of the organized church music is in the abbey letter of Duke Rudolf IV from the year 1365, in which in connection with the establishment of a collegiate chapter (today's cathedral chapter) also a cantor is mentioned, who was responsible for choirmaster, choristers and pupils (Stephaner Sängerknaben). Among the prominent musicians who were active at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Johann Joseph Fux, the brothers Michael and Joseph Haydn, and Wolfgang Amadé Mozart may be mentioned.
Scores and Practicing
You can add the scores for the piece to your registration when booking. We will use the Carus edition at the Sing Along! Choir Festival. Within Europe we will be happy to send the scores to you in early April. Order deadline is March 31st 2023. If you already have the scores or prefer to order them yourself, you can find the edition directly at Carus: Mozart Requiem: Carus 51.626/05
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Frequently Asked Questions
Tell me About the Sing Along! Choir Festivals?
The Sing Along! Choir Festivals are Sing Along Concerts, where important pieces for choir and orchestra are performed. The Sing Along! Festival Choir, which is newly formed for each piece, is composed of individual singers and choirs from all over the world, who register for a Choir Festival and prepare the respective work at home in advance. In several-day rehearsals with a renowned choirmaster, the fine-tuning takes place before the work is performed with a professional orchestra and renowned soloists in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral or Salzburg Cathedral.
Who Can Participate in the Sing Along! Choir Festivals?
For the Sing Along! Choir Festivals both entire choirs and individual singers, both amateur singers and long-standing professionals can register. The singers rehearse the work in advance, the fine tuning is done in the rehearsals.
Can Groups and Choirs Register As Well?
We are also very happy to welcome groups and choirs to the Sing Along! Choir Festivals. For choir and group inquiries please contact us by e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.! You can also register your group or choir directly via our Online Registration System, in which case we will contact you with the details of your singers.
In Which Languages are the rehearsals Held?
Music is the universal language we all speak. Nevertheless, the rehearsals of the Sing Along! Choir Festivals are held bilingually in German and English.
In 2022 Haydn's The Creation will be rehearsed and performed in the German version, Handel's Dettingen Te Deum in the English version.
Which Services are Included in the Participation Fee?
The participation fee includes the following services:
All rehearsals
Reception in the roof atrium of St. Stephen's Cathedral / in the Domchorsaal
Festive final concert in St. Stephen's Cathedral / Salzburg Cathedral
Reception after the concert with all artists
As a memory, 1 poster and 1 programme booklet mentioning the name of each participant
Are Auditions Necessary for Participating in the Sing Along! Choir Festivals?
We trust in your ability to judge whether you are capable of singing the respective choral piece. Should you be in doubt please write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Is the Number of Participants Limited?
Yes, the number of participants is limited depending on the piece performed. Registrations will be considered after receipt.
How Much is the Participation Fee?
The participation fee for the Sing Along! Choir Festivals in 2023 is € 115,- until December 31st 2022 (Early bird discount) and € 125,- from January 1st 2023.
Will the Scores for the Respective Piece be Sent Out?
Within Europe we will be happy to send you the appropriate scores in early April, which you can add to your registration. The order deadline is March 31st 2023. The costs for the scores and their shipping for the Sing Along! Choir Festivals are:
Haydn The Creation: € 17,-
Mozart Coronation Mass: € 12,-
Händel Te Deum: € 18,-
Mozart Requiem: € 14,-
If you already have the scores or prefer to order them yourself, the publisher for all scores is Carus-Verlag:
Haydn The Creation: Carus 51.990/05
Mozart Coronation Mass: Carus 40.618/05
Händel Dettingen Te Deum: Carus 55.283/05
Mozart Requiem: Carus 51.626/05
Are Combi Reductions Available for Several Sing Along! Choir Festivals?
Many of our participants sign up for more than one Sing Along! Choir Festival. In this case you benefit from the following discounts.
Participation in two choir festivals: You receive a 10% discount on the participation fee
Participation in three choir festivals: You receive a 15% discount on the participation fee
What are the Cancellation Conditions?
Should you wish to cancel your fixed participation in the Sing Along! Choir Festival 2022, the following cancellation conditions apply.
until 8 weeks before the choir festival: € 20,- cancellation fee
8 - 4 weeks before the choir festival: 50 % cancellation fee
3 - 1 weeks before the choir festival: 75 % cancellation fee
from 1 week before the choir festival: 100 % cancellation fee
In case of travel restrictions or a lockdown your cancellation and the refund are of course free of charge.
These cancellation conditions also apply to online bookings of your participation. The message "Tickets purchased online cannot be cancelled" displayed during the online booking process is an automated message that we unfortunately cannot change to the above cancellation conditions.
Please request the cancellation conditions for groups (from 10 persons) separately under This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
How does the Online Registration Work?
Via our Online Registration System you can complete your registration and also pay directly. The following steps are necessary:
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Add a Registration Fee to the shopping cart, including scores if you need any. If you add a Combi-Registration for 2 choir festivals to your shopping cart, please choose your combination in the next step.
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After you have chosen "Checkout", enter your data in the contact form. If you want to make a Combi-Registration for 2 choir festival participations please choose your desired combination here.
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Click "Continue" to proceed to the online payment by bank transfer or credit card. After you have clicked on "Place Order and Charge my Account" you can complete the order.
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You will receive an automated confirmation by e-mail, which also includes an Online Ticket that you can take with you to the Choir Festival as confirmation of your registration. Please note that you will only receive one Online Ticket, even if you have registered for a Comb-Registration; you are still registered for the Choir Festivals of your choice.
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To provide you with a contact person in case of questions, we will nevertheless contact you personally.
I Made an Online Combi-Registration but Only Got One Ticket - am I Registered for Both or all 3 Choir Festivals?
Due to system restrictions it is unfortunately not possible to issue more than 1 ticket for an online combi-registration. In the lower part of the Online-Ticket you will find the combi-registration for 2 or 3 Choir Festivals indicated and you can take the ticket to both or all 3 events as confirmation. In our participant lists you are noted accordingly in any case.
How to Register by E-Mail?
You can also register by e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..Simply send us the completed registration form:
Registration form Mozart Coronation Mass + Handel Te Deum Vienna
Registration form Mozart Requiem Vienna