• Baylor alum named ‘Kapellmeister’ of famous Vienna Boys Choir

    Jimmy Chiang

    Hong Kong native Jimmy Chiang, BM ’00, came to Baylor in 1995 to further his musical talents; since then, his skill as a conductor has taken him all over the world. Now, he’s traveling the globe with some of the world’s best young singers after reaching a new height in his career — leading the world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir, a choir that has featured such legendary names as Mozart and Schubert as singers in their centuries-old history.

    As Kapellmeister of the Vienna Boys Choir, Chiang will be leading a worldwide tour that will take the choir across Europe, Japan, and eventually, the United States. The history of the Vienna Boys Choir stretches back centuries; since the 14th century, the choir has performed almost continuously, and today it features 100 choristers between the ages of 10 and 14.

    Chiang was already well known in the music world for his skill on the piano, as a conductor, and in such varied worlds as opera and symphony before ascending to this new role. In fact, he was recognized for his prodigious musical ability as a teenager, receiving a diploma from a London college of music at age 16, and chose to earn his undergraduate degree in Baylor’s School of Music (where he also met his wife, Anna, MM ’99). Far from a surprise, Chiang’s career success was predicted in the Lariat nearly 15 years ago.

    Sic ’em, Jimmy!