Boys' choir

Boys' choirs of churches or cathedrals on both sides of the Atlantic may sing alongside and train with men, who provide the tenor and bass parts, in a tradition that dates back traceably to the 7th century, in the case of York Minster, and probably much further.

Boys contributed the treble and meane lines in church music, women being barred from this role.

The oldest existing boys' choirs, such as at York, at Regensburg (10th century), at Westminster Abbey and at the Vienna court, trace their roots back to this era.

[5] Boys' choirs offer young males an active point of entrance into music and vocal training.

[6] A greater awareness of the value of gender-specific youth work may also support the positive contributions of boys choirs.

The Wilten Boys' Choir , one of the oldest boys' choirs. Six of its members formed, in the 15th century, the nucleus of the Vienna Boys' Choir as established by Maximilian I.
Cantores Minores performing in the Helsinki Cathedral in 2013