Vienna Boys Choir Returns to East End

The world-renowned Vienna Boy's Choir, which has not been seen on the East End since 2003, will be making a special appearance at the this month before heading off to their already sold-out annual Carnegie Hall holiday engagement.

Clare Bisceglia, executive director of the performing arts center, says she has been trying for several years  to book the choir, whose limited tour schedule and enormous popularity puts them at the top of every presenter's holiday wish list.

 "We have tried to bring the choir back sooner, but they have very limited dates in the United States this time of year so we had to be patient," she said.

To the delight of East Enders, her patience was rewarded and the performing arts center will welcome back the resounding voices of the Vienna Boys Choir on Sat., Dec. 11 at 8:00pm.

According to Bisceglia, angels have nothing on the Vienna Boys Choir, which is made up of 23 boys, none older than 14 .

The choir presents timeless music with universal appeal.  Their highly diverse, crowd-pleasing repertoire includes classical masterpieces, beloved pop songs, medieval chants and holiday favorites. 

The choir is famous for their Christmas albums and television specials and they hold a central place in Vienna's cultural life.

In Vienna, the choir boys celebrate mass, sings with the Vienna Philharmonic and performs onstage with the Vienna State Opera.

Leading the group will be recently-appointed choirmaster, Andy Icochea, who is known for taking a slightly different approach to presenting the boys by establishing ongoing "conversations" with the audience. 

The choirmaster says he is very much looking forward to performing for East End fans.  

"We are certainly glad to be invited to return and perform in Westhampton.  The Vienna Boys Choir tours in the United States twice annually and these tours are always a highlight of their careers as choristers and mine as well," said Icochea

According to Icochea, the choir is one of the oldest performing arts group in the world.  Their roots go back over five centuries.

He explained that boys have been singing at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor since the early 15^th century. In 1498, more than half a millennium ago, Emperor Maximilian I moved his court and his court musicians to Vienna. He gave instructions that there were to be six singing boys among his musicians.

Today, there are around 100 choristers between the ages of ten and fourteen, divided into four touring choirs. The four choirs give around 300 concerts and performances each year in front of almost half a million people. Each group spends nine to eleven weeks of the school year on tour, performing in virtually all European countries.

" Simply put, the Vienna Boys Choir is the finest boys choir in the world. All ages will enjoy this very special holiday event," said Bisceglia.

Tickets are $85, $70, $55 and may be purchased at the Theatre, 76 Main Street, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978. They may also be bought at the center's website or by calling the box office at (631) 288-1500. A surcharge of $5 is added to the cost for each phone transaction.