The Toelzer Boys Choir (Toelzer Knabenchor, in German) is made up of about 35 choristers and more than 150 choristers-in-training and is considered one of the best boys choirs in the world, along with the Vienna Boys Choir, the Dresden Kreuzchor, the Texas Boys Choir and the Westminster Boys Choir, among others.
Founding of the Toelzer Boys Choir
The choir was founded by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden in 1956 in Bad Toelz, a small city 34 miles (54 km) south of Munich. Originally, members of the choir were from Bad Toelz and the surrounding towns in southern Bavaria, with some coming from Munich. Over the years, however, increasingly more boys from Munich joined the choir, and so the training headquarters were moved to the southern suburbs of Munich.
Schmidt-Gaden (b. 1937) received his musical education at the Munich University for Music and the Performing Arts and has been--in addition to director of the choir--a conductor and published expert on vocal training for children. He is still the overall director of the Toelzer Boys Choir and is assisted by Ralf Ludewig, who serves as Artistic Director.
Choir Selection and Structure
In early spring each year, members of the choir's musical staff conduct singing auditions among first grade boys in a large number of elementary schools in Munich and the surrounding areas. Boys exhibiting singing talent are then invited to a second audition at the choir's Munich studio, and about 60 are selected to be choristers-in-training.
The boys train for 3 years before undergoing further auditions for induction into the approximately 35-member professional choir, known as the concert choir. A smaller group of boys in the concert choir make up the chamber choir. In addition, the best choristers are invited to perform solos in operas and choral concerts around the world.
Boys may remain in the choir until their voices begin to change.
Musical Education of the Toelzer Choir Boys
Choristers undergo rigorous training to prepare for the demands of the concert choir. The boys attend two 2-hour rehearsals per week. Additionally, each boy receives a private 1-hour voice training lesson weekly. Beginning in the second year of training, boys are also required to learn a musical instrument of their choice and take weekly lessons.
Director Schmidt-Gaden and a staff of six voice teachers provide all the choral training.
In contrast to most top boys choirs in the world, the Toelzer Choir does not maintain a boarding school for its members. Rather, choristers live with their families and attend local schools of their choice.
Repertoire of the Toelzer Boys Choir
The Toelzer Boys Choir and its soloists perform nearly 250 concerts per year in Germany and internationally.
The choir is best known for its broad repertoire of Baroque and Classical church music. Its soloists are also renown for performing the roles of the genii (three boys) in Mozart's The Magic Flute in productions worldwide.
In addition, the choir devotes itself to singing traditional Bavarian folk songs, medieval music, and works by 20th century composers, including Carl Orff and Leonard Bernstein.
Boys are trained to sing in German, Bavarian German, Italian, French and English.
Since its establishment just 53 years ago, the Toelzer Boys Choir has earned an international reputation as a top-tier choir through its original sound, spontaneity, and impressive repertoire. Rigorous selection, high quality instruction and disciplined training has combined to make it famous among boys choirs.
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