The Tölzer Knabenchor (Tölz Boys Choir) is a German boys choir, 1956 founded in the Bavarian town of Bad Tölz and, since 1970, based in Munich. The choir is ranked among the most versatile and sought-after boys choirs in the world, still led by its founder and musical director Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden. In the realm of baroque music in particular, the "Tölzer" made a significant contribution to the change in musical (historically informed) performance practice. Moreover, Tölz boys were entrusted with the boy solo parts at Europes leading opera houses. The choir is in great demand in oratorios and symphonic works performed by renowned orchestras and famous conductors. Eminent artists such as Carl Orff, August Everding, Hans Werner Henze, Leonard Bernstein, Gustav Leonhardt, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and Claudio Abbado count among the choirs supporters. Herbert von Karajan once referred to the Tölzer as "one of the best choirs in the world" and, whenever a boys choir required, he engaged the choir for his performances and recordings with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Salzburg Festival. The Tölzer Boys have travelled throughout Europe as well as to the US and Asia. The choir has recorded more than one hundred LPs and CDs (on Deutsche Grammophon, EMI Classics, Sony Classical, Teldec, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, among others), many of which received or have been nominated for prestigious awards including Deutscher Schallplattenpreis, Echo Klassik, Choc du monde de la musique, and a Grammy nomination. The repertoire covers vocal music from the medieval to the modern, folk music, madrigals and motets, church music from the baroque to the classical, solo roles and opera for childrens choirs. Members of the choir have played the "Three boys" in Mozarts Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) in numerous productions. Education starts at the age of six, each member receiving intensive solo vocal training in addition to weekly group rehearsals. The ensemble is actually composed of several choirs, divided according to age and musical level. Some of the choirs most popular recordings include Bach cantatas (with Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Gustav Leonhardt, Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, conducting) Bachs B minor mass (Robert King, cond./ Andrew Parrott, cond.) Bachs St John passion and Christmas Oratorio (Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Unitel/Deutsche Grammophon DVD) Bachs St Matthew passion (Gustav Leonhardt, cond.) Haydns Creation and masses (with Bruno Weil and the Canadian Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra) Sacred works by Heinrich Schütz and Orlando di Lasso (Capriccio) Three boys in Mozarts "Magic flute" in recordings with Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Ivan Fischer, Herbert von Karajan, James Levine, Arnold Östman, Wolfgang Sawallisch, among others.