For more than a millennium, they have been the voice and symbol of the city of Regensburg - the Regensburger Domspatzen. Their history goes back to the year 975, when Bishop Wolfgang founded a cathedral school which, in addition to education, cultivated one thing above all: music. In doing so, he laid the foundations for a choir that became the epitome of liturgical sound culture over the centuries - and is still considered one of the oldest boys' choirs in the world today.

From the very beginning, the pupils of the cathedral school were entrusted with singing in church services. This task has continued over the centuries. To this day, the Domspatzen still perform the liturgy in St. Peter's Cathedral, their musical home. Anyone entering the cathedral on a Sunday morning experiences how time and space dissolve in sound - when the clear voices of the boys rise through the Gothic vault, touching and yet with an almost unearthly clarity.

Regensburger Domspatzen © Michael Vogl

Their unmistakable choral sound has long since become a cultural trademark: warm, luminous, versatile. Whether Gregorian chant, polyphonic masterpieces of the Renaissance or modern compositions - the Regensburger Domspatzen combine technical precision with an emotional depth that reaches far beyond musical boundaries.
Cathedral conductor Theobald Schrems (1893-1963) led the choir to international fame in the 1930s. His legacy was carried on by Georg Ratzinger, Roland Büchner and, since 2019, Christian Heiß. Today, the choir stands for the combination of tradition and the present like no other - rooted in Regensburg, at home in the world. Tours regularly take the Domspatzen to Europe, Asia and America, where they are celebrated as musical ambassadors of Bavaria and Germany.
In 2002, they were named "Cultural Ambassadors of Europe" by the European Federation of Choirs, and in 2004 they were named UNICEF Junior Ambassadors for Children's Rights. The fact that a boys' choir with so much history also speaks with so much presence is part of its secret.

Regensburger Domspatzen in front of the cathedral © Christina Ostrower

Their sacred music reflects the church year - with Holy Week and Easter at its heart. The Carmettes in the cathedral are among the most impressive musical moments of the year: works from the Renaissance, sung with a tenderness and intensity that fuse spirituality and art. These are the "eternal songs" in which the Domspatzen reveal their essence - subtle, devout, sublime.
To round off the anniversary year 2025, the "Alpine Christmas" is a must - a traditional highlight full of Advent spirit. The singers will also go on a concert tour with former cathedral sparrow and star baritone Benjamin Appl. The celebrated "The Christmas Album" and an ARTE production from the Alte Kapelle were created with him back in 2024: music that combines warmth of heart and artistic seriousness - without any cloying sentimentality.
1050 years of Regensburger Domspatzen - that means 1050 years of musical history, faith and community. A choir that sings the unspeakable across generations: the connection between heaven and earth, between tradition and the future.
www.domspatzen.de