The 100 choristers that comprise the Vienna Boys Choir 4 touring choruses give around 300 concerts and performances around the world, to almost half a million people per year. The Vienna Boys' Choir is one of the oldest boys' choirs existing in the world. For over five hundred years they have been a symbol of Austria. A founding document of Maximilian I in 1498 called the first dozen boys to the imperial court as members of the newly formed court music band. Thus he showed his great interest in contemporary musical developments in Burgundy and the Netherlands. Since then the Vienna Boys' Choir has been a fixed attraction in Austrian musical life. A number of famous musicians have emerged from its ranks. Its first-class training has produced numerous highly qualified vocalists, violinists and pianists. Joseph Haydn, who actually belonged to the Cathedral Choir of St Stephan, sang together with the court choir boys in the chapel of the Hofburg