Vienna Boys' Choir Concert: A Special Evening for the Elderly

On the evening of 29 October, a festive concert of the Vienna Boys’ Choir took place in the Russian Theatre in Tallinn. With the help of volunteers of Order of Malta, elderly from the nursing homes of Südamekodu and Kose were able to participate in the event. Worth mentioning, the oldest person who attended was 90 years old. The concert was also a chance to meet the Austrian Ambassador to Estonia, Peter Mikli, and members of the Estonian Austrian community, who arrived from a reception at the Ambassador’s residence.

A Diplomatic and Cultural Gathering

At Ambassador Mikli’s invitation, representatives of the Austrian community and businesses, including Thomas Spazz, Trade Counsellor for the Baltic States, attended the reception. The aim was to get to know each other, exchange contacts, and network. A concert of the Vienna Boys’ Choir was the highlight of the festive evening following the reception, celebrating the tradition of choir music shared by Austria and Estonia.

After all, Estonians are known as a singing people; as we know, for example, the famous English writer J.R.R. Tolkien drew inspiration from Finno-Ugric languages when he developed his Elvish language; and Estonia has become famous around the world thanks to the Singing Revolution and the tradition of Song Festivals.

A Blend of Classical and Contemporary Music

The Tallinn concert featured both classical compositions and contemporary songs adapted for choir.

The Vienna Boys’ Choir: A Musical Legacy

The Vienna Boys’ Choir (Wiener Sängerknaben) is a choir with a long history. It was founded in 1498 and has its roots in the boys’ choir (schola cantorum) of Vienna’s Hofburg Palace. This makes it one of the oldest musical collectives still in existence. Today, the choir is a private, non-profit organisation and has four boys’ choirs of 24-26 members, a girls’ choir, two youth choirs, a training choir, and a community choir.

Concerts are given regularly, both at home in Vienna and around the world. Three days before their performance in Tallinn, on 26 October, the choir gave a concert in Riga Cathedral, where singing was combined with a spectacular light show. The event marked the annual Austrian National Day, an important day for Austria since 1965.

It is worth noting that the training and singing tradition of the Vienna Boys’ Choir has been inscribed by UNESCO as part of Austria’s cultural heritage.

Supporting the Elderly Through Cultural Initiatives

In the past, our volunteers have brought more joy to the lonely days of the elderly with a variety of charitable projects. Together we visited the light festival “Light Walks” 2024 in Kadriorg Park, where we walked, talked, and exercised a bit. The event confirmed how successfully it is possible to integrate different generations and create a memorable day for all.

We have also been visiting nursing homes and carrying out health promotion, social and board games, and educational lectures. But most important of all, we give people the chance to socialize so that they don’t become isolated. This is one of the aims of our mission – to give people a message of hope and faith in a better tomorrow.

A Special Thank You to Our Supporters

Finally, we would like to thank the sponsors of the Vienna Boys’ Choir Concert:

• Compensa Vienna Insurance Group

• GrECo Group

• Wintour Group International

• Geigenseer® Privatbrauerei

Special thanks to Ennetera for the transport of the elderly.

And of course, the Order of Malta, led by Ambassador Manfred Mautner von Markhof, was also among the contributors.

Thank you all!