The Vienna Boys Choir is one of the most iconic cultural institutions in the country. A foundation charter issued by Emperor Maximilian I in 1498 called the first dozen boys to the Imperial court as members of the newly formed court music band. Ever since, the Vienna Boys' Choir has been a fixture in Austrian musical life.
The choir has produced numerous highly respected musicians, among them Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert. Today, the 100 or so boys range between the ages of 10 and 14 years and give about 300 concerts each year, performing in front of about 500,000 spectators around the world.