Greetings from Vienna, the City of Music

Maestro Classics in Wien

Vienna Street Musicians & Why to Wait to Take Your Kids to Some Concerts - perhaps just enjoy the street musicians (see video at bottom)

We went to a glorious performance of a Bruckner Mass with the Vienna Boychoir (Wiener Sängerknaben) at the Hofburg Imperial Palace chapel with members of the Vienna State Opera orchestra and chorus. The music raining down from the top rear balcony where none of the choristers or musicians could be seen truly gave the feeling that the music was coming from heaven. At a time when video cams are being used everywhere, it was a delicious experience to just take it all in with your ears.

I had to feel a little sorry for the group of Japanese school children who sat through and hour and a half of music in a language they did not understand accompanied by a mass spoken and sung totally in German. Once again I wondered if they would be turned off for life, having had an experience that was age-inappropriate.

TAKE AWAY. Be careful not to expect your children to enjoy everything that you do. There is a right time for everything and a performance where there is no escape if you discover that it is too long for your child will not engender a love of music.