From Gurugram to the 500-year-old Vienna Boys’ Choir

At the age of 10, Rishan Bhatnagar has already toured several countries. And the list is only growing. The first Indian in the renowned 500-year-old Vienna Boys’ Choir (VBC), he sings at church mass every Sunday.

Grouped in four teams of 25, named after the Austrian composers Anton Bruckner, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert, the choir tours three months a year. Rishan, who is in the Haydn group, is enjoying his stint, as the music at VBC traverses different cultures and languages. When not performing, he loves to play video games and goes swimming.

Rishan loves to stay in Vienna and is excited about his performance. “We recorded a Christmas CD last year and performed for the President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen. Early this year, I had my first experience at a formal ball. It was really awesome,” the boy gushed.

He shares his journey with Gulf News.

GULF NEWS: At what age did the singing bug bite you?

RISHAN BHATNAGAR: My mother says I could hum in tune even as a toddler. I remember singing for neighbours and friends at home. When I was very small I used to watch Wiggles concerts and then perform in front of family and friends. I knew the entire concert by heart and could do a full one-hour show — mostly for a pretend audience! The songs I remember singing included: Bare Necessities, Hakuna Matata and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and almost all songs from Walt Disney movies were a favourite. My earliest memory of performing were when I was three-year-old. I climbed up on stage at a hotel and insisted on singing ‘You are my Sunshine’ with the band! Seeing my interest at the age of 6, I was enrolled for singing lessons.

Is singing a part of the family profession or hobby?

No, singing is not at all part of the family profession, but there was always a lot of music. My family took me for live concerts and I watched musicals and music shows.

How did the Vienna Boys Choir happen?

It was actually a surprise when I got invited to join the VBC. I used to sing with the Mozart Children’s Choir in Delhi, and every year Gerald Wirth, director of the VBC did a workshop with us. Last year, after the workshop, he asked my parents if they would like to send me to Vienna. They decided to let me try for a week and we all came to Vienna. I spent a week getting to know the other boys, attending rehearsals and classes. By the end of it, I decided I would like to stay here. Ever since April last year, I have been in Vienna.

Being the first Indian in the 500-year-old choir, are you given any special treatment?

No, there are other international students here and I am a part of the choir. None of us is treated any differently from others.

How interesting is the training?

The training is extremely interesting, but at the same time it means plenty of hard work. Other than school, we have rehearsals every day that includes separate voice lessons to help us. I also learn different things like breath control and expanding my range and do a number of voice exercises. Apart from concerts, we get to do a variety of things such as studio recordings and video recordings.

What skills are required to be where you are?

It requires immense practice and hard work; learning a new language like German, as we are taught in German and we speak to each other in German. But it’s not all work and no play! We have a great time playing different sports, including football and going to camps.

Which countries have you travelled to for concerts?

On our Asia tour last year, we performed at various cities in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. We have also done live concerts in Switzerland, Germany and Poland. This year, I am going to start our tour term in Spain and Monaco and later travel and perform in the US.

What do you like best about Vienna and miss the most about India?

I like living in Vienna and the food it offers. There’s lot to do here and we usually go out on weekends — visiting amusement and water parks. I do miss my family and friends in India and get to come home on holidays twice a year. Besides, quite often, they come to visit me in Vienna, so I don’t actually feel homesick.

BOX

• Rishan Bhatnagar was born on September 29, 2005 in Bengaluru, to mother Shaheen, a freelance writer and father Ritesh Bhatnagar, a marketing professional, based in Gurugram, Haryana.

• He is studying in Grade 6 in the Private Grammar School run only for the choristers with the Vienna Boys Choir.

• VBC was founded in 1924 and the choir has adopted the now famous blue and white sailor suit.

• Considered one of the best-known boys’ choirs in the world, legends such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Heinrich Isaac have been associated with VBC at different times.

• The boys are mainly selected from Austria, but also from many other countries and are in the age group between 10 and 14.

• In 1961, Walt Disney filmed ‘Almost Angels’ a fictional drama about the VBC. Disney persuaded the Austrian government to allow the boys to legally wear the Austrian national emblem on the breast of their uniform, a tradition that continues till date.