How the Power of Music connects primary school children and a secondary school choir in unforgettable moments on one of the world’s most famous stages – as Amir’s story reveals.

When the lights dimmed in the Great Hall of the Musikverein Vienna, time seemed to stand still. For a brief moment, the ornate room – celebrated worldwide as one of the most prestigious concert halls – fell silent. Then, hundreds of young voices rose together, filling the space with sound, courage, and joy.

On stage stood Amir, 12*, a member of the MiMiX Choir from the Secondary School Wendstattgasse in Vienna’s 10th district. From his place on this legendary stage, he looked out over the audience.

Sitting and standing before him were around 650 primary school children (Volksschüler:innen), all participants in the project The Power of Music.

Behind them, in the balconies and standing areas, supporters of CAPE 10 and hundreds of proud parents – many with migrant backgrounds – watched the scene unfold.

“I never thought I would stand here,” Amir would say later. “I thought this place was only for famous musicians.”

Amir’s journey began in a very different setting.

Like many students at his school, he grew up in an environment where access to cultural experiences is limited. Confidence does not always come easily, and opportunities to perform – or simply to be seen – are rare. Music was part of his school life, but the idea of performing at the Musikverein Vienna once seemed unimaginable.

This is where The Power of Music, a project by CAPE 10 and part of the Bildungsakademie, supported by the UniCredit Foundation, comes in.

Each year, the initiative works with around 400 primary school children from socially disadvantaged schools in Favoriten, introducing them to music and culture through interactive concerts. The children are not passive listeners – they sing, make music, learn, and grow together. The annual sing-along concert in the Great Hall is the emotional highlight of the project.

As the MiMiX Choir leads from the stage, the voices of 650 primary school children rise from the seats, filling the historic hall with energy and confidence. In this moment, the distance between stage and audience disappears. Adding to the magic, world-renowned opera star Elīna Garanča joins the children on stage.

Together, they sing two songs side by side – an experience that transforms the concert into an unforgettable milestone. For the young performers, sharing the stage with an international artist in such an iconic setting is both surreal and deeply empowering. As the first notes fill the hall, the separation between performers and audience vanishes entirely. The choir leads the way, and hundreds of young voices rise to meet them—united in the same songs, in the same moment. “Some of the primary school children have never been inside a concert hall before,” one of the project’s educators explains. “And for the choir students, standing here as role models for younger children – together with an artist like Elīna Garanča – s incredibly empowering.”

For Amir, this moment means more than music. Singing in front of a full Great Hall is not just a performance – it is a turning point. “When I saw all the younger kids singing with us, I felt proud,” he says. “It felt like we were showing them that they can be here one day too.”

Addressing the audience, Silvia Bruni, CEO of CAPE 10, and Prof. Dr. Meryn, founder of CAPE 10, summed it up powerfully: “No matter where you’re from, whether you are big or small, rich or poor, white or black, or anything in between. Today we sing one song – with one voice and one heart. And that is the power of music!”

The Power of Music is an empowering and unifying education project. With the support of the UniCredit Foundation, CAPE 10 opens doors that once seemed firmly closed – allowing children to step into spaces they never imagined for themselves.

These young singers leave with more than a memory: they carry the knowledge that their voices matter.

*Name changed to protect privacy.