Salzburg Advent Singing

History of the Salzburg Advent Singing

In 1946, Salzburg singer and musician Tobias Reiser invited friends and acquaintances to the first Christmas carol concert. The event grew in popularity from year to year, and in 1950 it moved to the Kaisersaal of the Salzburg Residenz, in 1952 to the Great Hall of Salzburg University, and in 1960 to the newly built Large Festival Hall, where it still takes place today. Initially, the focus was on singing and music, but later readings and theatre performances were added to the programme.

Salzburg's second largest Advent singing event, the Salzburger Advent® in St. Andrä Church on Mirabellplatz, was founded in 1991. The Salzburger HirtenAdvent in the Great Hall of the University was founded in 2006.

The Salzburg Advent Singing as a genre of its own

What began as a Christmas carol concert carol in 1946 has evolved over the decades to become a genre in its own right, serving as a model for many Advent Singings in German-speaking countries. The combination of traditional songs, alpine melodies, readings and scenic performances has become an integral part of the pre-Christmas period.