The Hong Kong-born conductor and pianist started his musical career as a teenager. His major breakthrough as a conductor came in 2007 when he won the renowned “Lovro von Matacic” international competition for Young Conductors in Zagreb, Croatia. Chiang received numerous awards and honors at international competitions such as the International Competition for Young Choir Directors in Vienna (2004) and the Golden Key International Society Performing Arts Showcase in USA (2000).

 

 

Besides his active performing schedule, Jimmy Chiang devotes himself to music education. He is the artistic advisor of the Hong Kong Children’s Symphony, directing their annual orchestra academy as well as master classes for young conductors. He has been involved with “Kinderoper Papageno”, in touring productions of their children's operas, both as tour leader and performer, reaching over 20,000 children in German-speaking countries.

 

 

Boys have been singing at Vienna's Imperial Chapel since 1296. In 1498, Maximilian I (HRR) moved his court to Vienna, lock, stock, and choir, thus founding the “Hofmusikkapelle” (Chapel Imperial), and the Vienna Boys Choir. Over the centuries, the Viennese Court attracted great musicians like Isaac, de Monte, Fux, Caldara, Gluck, Salieri, Mozart, and Bruckner; Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Franz Schubert were themselves, choir boys.

 

Until 1918, the boys sang exclusively for the court. In the 1920s, the choir was reestablished as a private organization. Since 1926, 2482 Vienna Boys Choir has sung 1000 tours in 97 different countries. Gerald Wirth is its Artistic Director, and its president.

 

 

For those of you who haven't heard this before, the Vienna Boys Choir is divided into four sub-groups or touring choirs. The choirs are of equal standing; the tours, appearances in Vienna and recording projects are shared among them. Each choir has a choirmaster and two tutors or prefects who travel with the boys.

 

In the 2016/17 season, Haydnchor has 25 members, with seven newbies among them: Bastian, Gabriel, Janos, Max, Peter, Simon, and Stefan. They are a motley crew, with boys from Vienna, Burgenland, Lower Austria, Carinthia, Styria, and the Tyrol; from Afghanistan, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Poland, Romania, and the USA. They speak and sing in a number of different languages.

 

1. Michael Praetorius: Jubilate Deo

Six-part canon

2. François Couperin: Jubilemus, exultemus

Arr. Gerald Wirth

3. Hans Leo Hassler: Cantate Domino

Motet for four voices a cappella

4. Heinrich Issak: Isbruck, ich muss dich lassen (Innsbruck I have to leave)

Arr. Gerald Wirth

5. Johann Joseph Fux: Salve Regina, K. 257

6. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Laudate Dominum

7. Jan Dismas Zelenka: Laudate pueri Dominum, ZWV 82

Arr. Gerald Wirth

8. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Auf Flügeln des Gesanges (On Wings of Song)

Text: Heinrich Heine

from: Sechs Gesänge (Six Songs), opus 34

Arr. Jimmy Chiang

9. Robert Schumann: Zigeunerleben (Gypsy Life)

Text: Emanuel Geibel

10. Antonín Dvořák: Když mne stará matka zpívat učívala (Songs my mother taught me)

Text: Adolf Heyduk

from: Cigánské melodie, B.104, opus 55

Arr. Jimmy Chiang

11. Gioachino Rossini: Duetto buffo per due gatti (Duet in the buffo style for two cats)

12. Aaron Copland: I bought me a cat

 

- Intermission -

 

1. Qiufeng Zheng: I love you China

Text: Zong Qu

Arr:Jimmy Chiang

2. Tea-picking (Fujian Folksong)

3. Muolihua（Jiangsu Folksong）

Arr. Jimmy Chiang

4. Waldhansl (John of the Forest)

Clapping song from Upper Austria

Arr. Gerald Wirth

5. Juchhe Tirolerbua (Hey, Tyrolean lad)

Song from the Tyrol; about the alpine cattle drive in spring

Arr. Gerald Wirth

6. Cy Colemann: Rhythm of Life

Text: Dorothy Fields

Arr: Richard Barns

7. Billy Joel: Vienna

8. Ferry Wunsch: Heut kommen d’Engerl auf Urlaub nach Wean

(The angels come for holidays to Vienna today)

Arr. Gerald Wirth

9. Josef Strauss: Auf Ferienreisen

Polka schnell, opus 133 (1863)

Text: Tina Breckwoldt

Arr. Gerald Wirth

10. Johann Strauss II: Banditen-Galopp

Text: Tina Breckwoldt

Arr. Gerald Wirth

11. Johann Strauss II: Kaiserwalzer (Emperor Walz)

Arr. Gerald Wirth

12. Johann Strauss II: Leichtes Blut Polka, op 319

Arr. Gerald Wirth