St. Florian A visit to the St. Florian Boys' Choir

Included services:

• Admission and guided tour of St Florian's Abbey
• Lunch in the monastery cellar
• Exclusive guided tour of the boarding school of the Florian Boys' Choir
• Give-away from the choirboys
• Detailed travel documents in German

Deep in the heart of Upper Austria, just a few kilometres from Linz, lies a place where music has been alive for almost a millennium: St. Florian's Abbey. The bright voices of the Florian Boys' Choir have characterised the sound of this baroque jewel since the 11th century - a musical heritage that is still admired around the world today. Their concerts take them around the globe, from Vienna to Washington, from Salzburg to San Francisco.

But who are the young talents behind the performances really? As part of this special programme, the choirboys provide an insight into their everyday lives - a life between rehearsals, school and childhood. In the venerable St Florian's Abbey, which is as impressive as a European equivalent of Princeton University Chapel or the Basilica in Montréal, a fascinating mixture of monastic atmosphere and lively everyday school life is created. Visitors are not only warmly welcomed, but also experience first-hand what it means to be part of a centuries-old musical tradition.

Program:
After your arrival, a guided tour of the baroque St Florian's Abbey awaits you - an architectural masterpiece whose history and magnificent furnishings are deeply rooted in the culture of Upper Austria. Even the famous composer Anton Bruckner worked here, and its original organ site has been preserved to this day - a fascinating place, comparable to places of musical pilgrimage in North America such as the Eastman School of Music in Rochester or the Banff Centre for Arts in Alberta.

After the tour, you can fortify yourself with lunch in the historic Stiftskeller - with regional cuisine that combines tradition and flavour.

An introductory video will then introduce you to the choir of the Florian Boys' Choir before things get personal: The boys open the doors of their boarding school to you. A guided tour will give you an insight into their daily routine - from leisure and study time to music lessons and singing rehearsals. In the presence of the choirboys, you will become part of their everyday life, experience their world and discover that a great career often begins with ordinary childhood dreams - very similar to young talents at music schools in Boston or Toronto, only with the charm and warmth of Upper Austria.