Conservative Zone – The State and Cathedral Choir has a long and revered history in Germany. This all-boys choir was originally founded over 500 years ago in 1465 by Fredrick II of Brandenburg. Since its inception, it has been an all-boys group.

Approximately 250 boys, teens and young men form the choir. They are divided into 11 different groups, and perform across Europe and around the world. Visits to the United States, Japan, and most countries in Europe are common, and the choir meets regularly to train, practice, and learn as a group.

Competition for entry is fierce; boys as young as 5 can audition, and will receive free training if they are admitted. Older boys are required to have some experience to secure an audition and competition increases with age, thanks to the travel opportunity and recognition the selected singers receive.

A family in Germany wants to change that tradition, and has launched a lawsuit against the Berlin-based choir, claiming that the 9-year-old daughter of the family was denied entry because of her gender. Since the child in question is just 9 years old, her identity has not been revealed; she auditioned for the group earlier this year, in March and was declined entry.

The Berlin court is set to rule on this matter later this week. The girl’s family alleges that she was not admitted because of her gender, not because of her talent. The choir, on the other hand, asserts that the child was not offered a spot in the competitive group because of her audition and voice, not her gender. The choir indicated that she was allowed to try out and would have been admitted if her audition had met their existing standards, stating she would have been offered a spot “if her voice had matched the desired sound characteristics of a boys’ choir,” the court statement said.

The original complaint was brought by the girl’s mother, who felt that the rejection was not based on an unsuccessful audition, but was in fact based on gender. She claims the choir acted in a discriminatory and “impermissible way” and that their decision violated her daughter’s rights. According to choir rules, boys that are older than 7 can try out for the group if they have some experience. Despite being a girl, the child in question was permitted to try out, but failed to receive a coveted spot.

The family’s attorney stated that the child had sung with a variety of groups in the past and that she had applied to the State and Cathedral Choir in the past as well, but not been accepted. She was again invited to audition in March 2019, but was not granted a spot in the highly competitive state choir. According to the family, she was told that she did not have the talent or motivation to joint the choir.

Beyond responding to court documents, the choir has declined further comment.

SF Source The Conservative Zone Aug 2019