Advent Sing Vienna

Vienna is where Mozart found inspiration and Strauss wrote his famous waltzes. Beethoven, Schoenberg, Berg, Haydn, Schubert, Liszt, and Bruckner lived and performed in Vienna for decades. Now it is your turn! Join the International Vienna Advent Sing so you can share your choir’s repertoire in this incredible city of music and culture!

Perform concerts in Vienna’s prestigious City Hall, where Strauss first presented his waltz to the world.  Vienna's City Hall also housed famous performances by Pavarotti, Carreras, and Domingo.

Sing in the gilded Abbey of Melk, considered the most stunning example of Baroque architecture in Europe.

Share holiday songs at the undeniably festive Christmas market. This market in front of Schönbrunn Palace is where a seven-year-old Mozart played for Empress Maria Theresa. It subsequently became part of a quintessential European Advent season!

Exchange with other choirs attending the festival from around the world, and hear their unique musical presentations.

Soak up the ambiance and magic of the season as you stroll the festively adorned streets of the city.

Browse the many Christmas markets for souvenirs and specialty items from Austria.

Enjoy a traditional dinner in the 800-year-old wine village of Gumpoldskirchen.

Take this opportunity to bring your choir to the home of classical music in Europe and add your voices to this festive celebration of the holiday season.

Ready to get started? Contact us today!

FESTIVAL HALL OF VIENNA CITY HALL

During the Advent Sing Festival concerts are performed in the splendid Festival Hall at Vienna’s City Hall where choirs sing back to back, with choirs from around the world creating a truly international concert. The City Hall concert series has become a beloved Advent tradition for local residents and visitors alike over the past 30 years.

• Grand piano

MELK ABBEY CHURCH

The Benedictine monastery, Melk Abbey, has roots reaching back to the earliest days of Austrian history. It is the major historic and architectural highlight of the region and is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. The Advent Sing Festival performances take place in the stunningly beautiful baroque abbey church, where choirs sing as part of an international concert on Sunday afternoon.

• keyboard or organ

CHRISTMAS MARKET

This is a caroling-type performance opportunity for the choir – it is outdoors and a cappella. There are stages for performances at several Holiday markets that Vienna uses for the outdoor singing including the Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace and Market near the Karl’s Church in the city center.

• Program: A Cappella

COMMUNITY VENUES

Your choir may choose to perform in a community setting such as a local school, senior citizen center, or church. These concerts afford wonderful opportunities to connect with local people in a more informal atmosphere. A repertoire of American holiday and non-holiday music is recommended for school and senior citizen center concerts; a piano or keyboard can be provided by prior arrangement (rental fees may apply).

• Piano or keyboard upon request

Repertoire: Directors choice for school or Senior center 30 minutes Repertoire for church service: sacred selections depend on preferred denomination

Day 1: FLY TO AUSTRIA

Your Vienna Advent Sing experience starts with an overnight flight from North America to Vienna, Austria.

Day 2: WELCOME TO AUSTRIA

Your Music Contact International tour manager will greet your choir at the airport in Vienna. Together, board your private motor coach and transfer into the city for an orientation walk through its historic center.

Gather your first impressions of Vienna, the magical city that Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven once called home. Admire St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its “lace-in-stone” spire, be enchanted by the beautiful holiday lights strung across the roads and the aroma of chestnuts roasting, and stroll along the pedestrian streets of Kärntner Strasse and the Graben, lined with fashionable boutiques, mouth-watering bakeries, and famous Viennese cafés.

Tonight, a welcome dinner is arranged in the hotel restaurant.

Day 3: SIGHTSEEING & CONCERT IN SENIOR CENTER OR SCHOOL

Your day begins with a guided city tour revealing Vienna’s vast history and musical legacy. Your expert guide will show you highlights of the city, including the Hofburg Palace, City Hall, the Parliament building, the regal Art History Museum, and the beautiful Opera House.

Gather for a delicious lunch of Austrian specialties at Vienna’s City Hall with choirs from around the world participating in the Advent Sing Festival.

This afternoon, student choirs have the opportunity to visit local Viennese schools to share in an afternoon of musical and cultural exchange and make new friends with peers. Adult choirs embark on outreach concerts in senior centers, bringing choral music to those who otherwise would not have the opportunity to attend festival concerts. Enjoy time to meet the audience and share the season’s greetings.

Day 4: CONCERT IN THE FESTIVAL HALL OF THE VIENNA CITY HALL

This morning, perform a concert for a local audience on the outdoor stage at one of the many Christmas markets in Vienna. Enjoy time for lunch at the Christmas market, where vendors offer an array of ornaments, local food and drink, and a variety of handicrafts in the palace courtyard.

This afternoon, choirs perform at the festival's premier venue: the Festival Hall of the Vienna City Hall. Sing in the magnificent room where Strauss presented his waltz to the world and enjoy the concerts of other guest choirs. Locals enjoy attended this anticipated yearly gathering each advent season, and your choir's performance will be warmly welcomed!

At the end of this thrilling day, visit the 800-year-old wine village of Gumpoldskirchen in the hills outside of Vienna. Dine on a traditional Austrian “Heurigen” dinner of grilled meats, sauerkraut, and bread, served family-style on long wooden tables. A local musician strolling through the restaurant inspires guests to sing along!

Day 5: CONCERT AT MELK ABBEY AND CLOSING CEREMONY

Start your day with a scenic drive to the town of Melk on the banks of the Danube River. Considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Austria, the stunning baroque Melk Abbey is perched on the hill above the town. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then take a guided tour of the Abbey. The most breathtaking space is the magnificent Melk Abbey Church with its decorated sculptures and gold leaf. This is the venue for your afternoon performance, a highly anticipated event for the Melk community and visitors.

Tonight, attend the Closing Ceremony of the International Advent Sing in the Vienna City Hall. Following closing remarks by representatives of the Mayor of Vienna, join with guest choirs in singing "Ode to Joy"—a festive close to a fabulous Advent Sing!

Day 6: FLY HOME OR EXTEND YOUR STAY

Enjoy your final Austrian breakfast before departing by motor coach to Vienna’s Schwechat Airport for the return flight home. Or ask us about additional days of touring in Austria and when it's time to go, we'll send you off with musical memories to last a lifetime.