After four years of singing in the Vienna Boys Choir, in the Haydn Choir, fourteen-year-old Mark parted ways with his friends Kapellmeister Jimmy Chang and other members of this prestigious musical institution.
Director Mr. Gerald Wirth gifted all the boys who finished their four-year period an original cap of the Viennese boys choir, a special thank you note and a beautiful clock with a dedication.
The farewell ceremony was held in Augarten Palace, where the Viennese boys normally lived during their schooling. For Mark the parting was very emotional.
“I have mixed feelings. On the one side, I’m sad to be parting with dear people but on the other side I’m also happy that for four years I was being part of the musical family and one of the best choirs in the world, the Vienna Boys,” said Mark at the farewell.
“For me, the time spent in Vienna Boys is one of the most beautiful periods of my life and I will always remember it with great pride and joy. The Viennese Boys influenced my musical development and my growing up. I owe the greatest appreciation to my Kapellmeister Jimmy Chang, from whom I learned a lot. He is an excellent conductor but also an excellent pedagogue. I would also like to single out my music teacher Manuel Huber who always supported me when I had questions about composing my songs,” says Mark about the positive influence that the four years he spent in the Viennese Boys had on him.
“I will remain friends with my collegues from the choir for the rest of my life.” We were inseparable for four years, living together and traveling all over the world. I´m very fortunate to have friends from different countries, as I do. One day I would love to do a music project together and I already have an ided about it.
“I noticed that many former Viennese boys are firmly connected in their future life even when their participation in the choir ends. They hang out, support each other and collaborate on numerous projects.
At parting our director, Mr. Wirth, said a sentence that made me happy and I will carry it with pride in my heart for the rest of my life. “Once a Viennese boy, always a Viennese boy!” I have a wonderful feeling about the fact that the door is always open to me at Viennese boys. It is also a strong tailwind for my solo career”.
Marko traveled with the choir to almost all continents and along the way he was inspired to write a song about all those beautiful impressions he collected from the tours. He wrote the lyrics and composition for the song “I will show you the world”. The director and the Kapellmeister really liked it and they decided to sing Markos song at concerts by the Viennese boys choir.