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The Wiener Jeunesse-Chor (Vienna Youth Choir) was founded in 1959 by Günther Theuring. He was looking not for music students, the next professionals, but for the broader layer, especially young, enthusiastic music amateurs. He wanted to show that dedication and perseverance of not pre-formed choir singers lead to results that are equal to professional choirs and sometimes are even superior. In the 40 years that Günther Theuring headed the choir, he achieved notable successes, such as working with conductors like Leonard Bernstein or Claudio Abbado and renowned orchestras like the Wiener Philharmoniker. The fruits of this characterised work are documented by LP and CD recordings. After forty years of activity as artistic director of the Wiener Jeunesse-Chor, Günther Theuring retired in 1999.
Highlights of the activities of the choir performance under the new management were the performances of Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle and Johannesp as sion by Arvo Pärt, the latter jointly with the renowned Hilliard Ensemble with Marco Ozbic in Graz and Vienna. Under Emanuel Schulz the choir gave an impressive performance of Karol Szymanowski Lied der Nacht at the Vienna Konzerthaus and an Hommage a Verdi.
Since September 2002 Markus Winkler directs the Wiener Jeunesse-Chor. He succeeded, after years of agitation by the constant change of musical directors, to give the choir continuity again, so important for the shaping of the choir. Together with Markus Winkler the choir, which currently counts around 25 members, a-cappella has performed works by contemporary Austrian composers (Anton Heiller, Franz Burkart, Cesar Bresgen, Wolfram Wagner and others) and Joseph Haydn's Stabat Mater, which was performed together with the Salve Regina at the Wiener Minoritenkirche. The choir devoted the 175th year to the death of Franz Schubert to a concert series of choral works by Schubert and Hugo Wolf, another Jubilee year in 2003. Participation at the 20th International Franz Schubert Choir Competition, resulted in engagement by the ORF and a musical concert demonstrating the versatility of the choir. In spring 2004, the Wiener Jeunesse-Chor of ORF performed as part of an international guitar festival a setting of Walt Whitman Civil War Poems. In autumn 2004, followed by a concert series entitled "Nordic Impressions", the works of Nordic composers in Vienna and Wiener Neustadt were presented. In spring 2005 the choir performed Mozart's Missa Brevis in D minor and six antiphons by Franz Schubert for Palm consecration, as well as a gala concert on the occasion to celebrate 50 years of independence and 60 years of the Republic of Austria in Wiener
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