Vienna was music to my children’s ears

Buoyed by my husband’s enthusiasm (‘Mozart was composing by the age of five,’ he mused), I consulted my aunt Valerie, who has been a musician, teacher and performer for more than half a century. Valerie gave clear and sage advice: ‘If your child likes music, let them join a singing class. Don’t start lessons until they’re six or seven.’

I did not listen to Valerie. Nor did Father Christmas, who delivered a charming Thirties upright piano to our London flat. Antonia was ecstatic. Her joy only increased when I engaged a piano teacher. Also a choir director and composer, and in possession of a masters in teaching piano, his is a slick operation for a young music enthusiast: the engaging half-hour lesson is balanced between voice and keyboard work; Antonia was smitten and so was I.

In the mid-Nineties, a few things struck me about Vienna: the hazelnut cakes were superlative; Klimt, whose work I’d never seen before, was absolutely everywhere. But most striking was this: in a city not unfamiliar with snobbishness, music was for everyone. My fellow teens - cool and otherwise - went to classical concerts for fun.

In France, children are expected to turn up at the table at mealtimes to eat - and converse - like adults. In Austria - or Vienna, at least - children of all socio-economic backgrounds have a musical literacy more advanced than most adults from elsewhere. While hardly surprising (the country’s musical heritage is unmatched), the egalitarianism of it all was infectious.

The children would watch everyone from small singing boys to grown-up cellists display their artistry and skill. They would begin to appreciate the incredible amount of work that goes into being a musician. In what is regularly named the most family-friendly city in the world, my family could only gain new motivation. Foreign cities can be overwhelming for families. But pick a theme, and suddenly children and adults are on the same team, on the trail of clues that will illuminate the subject.

I scheduled a concert a day, over a five-day, four-night break, and balanced live performances with activities to blow off steam. And as you conclude that I am the pushiest mother to have held the position, I should admit that my husband feared the same. But he now lists our trip to Vienna as his favourite family holiday.

The evening we arrived, while the boys rested, Antonia and I headed to MuTh (Musik & Theater), the dedicated concert hall of the Vienna Boys’ Choir. With members as young as five, this was the perfect way to draw my daughter’s attention: children love seeing other children perform. She sat, rapt, as the boys in their sailor suits sang. The conductor ended the hour-long concert with an unusual tribute to Leonard Cohen, who had died a few days earlier, by leading the boys and the audience in a singalong Hallelujah. Cheesy but interactive: my daughter skipped out of the hall singing; one concert attempted, two satisfied customers.

The only way for anyone to enjoy an opera is to understand the plot first. Having searched in vain for an illustrated children’s book in the weeks before our trip we watched two excellent summaries on YouTube to establish the unlikely plot - a fairy tale in which the evil Queen of the Night persuades Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter Pamina, who is being held captive by the high priest Sarastro, and the prince’s birdcatcher sidekick, Papageno, finds his ideal companion, Papagena.

The art deco heritage is everywhere - and how’s this for a melodrama: the sumptuous Prince of Wales suite on the piano nobile was supposedly where Edward VII finally decided to dispense with the crown in favour of the American. And it’s small wonder: this is a sexy place which, counter-intuitively, is just what you want on a family city break. In such comfort, everyone wins.

So, what’s the score so far? We’ve been presented with no symphonies. Yet. But Antonia returned home with a renewed focus on music. She practises more than once a week, voluntarily. My son has been asking for guitar lessons, and occasionally I overhear him as he goes about his four-year-old business, humming the Queen of the Night’s aria.

1. Marionette Theater (marionettentheater.at); adults euros 47, children euros 30

2. Haus der Musik (hausdermusik.com/en); adults euros 13, children under 12 euros 6, children under three free

5. Musikverein (musikverein.at); tickets available from euros 14

3. Huth Gastwirtschaft (huth-gastwirtschaft.at) is a low-key central restaurant serving Austrian classics but, happily, filled with Viennese, not tourists.

5. Hawelka (hawelka.at/cafe/de) is a mysterious and fun institution in the centre. For outdoor seating and excellent cakes and ice creams, go to Cafe Landtmann (landtmann.at).

3. Prater (prater.at); free, but there are charges for individual rides.