The Kieler Knabenchor (Kiel boyschoir) was founded in 1968 as a school choir at a secondary school in Kiel, the state capital of Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany. Unlike many other boyschoirs, the Kieler Knabenchor is not a cultural institution in its own right, but an after school activity for all boys who visit a school in or around Kiel. The choir regularly organizes concerts, concert tours and church services, goes on camps and organizes joint activities for its singers throughout the school year. Due to its affiliation with the main church St. Nikolai in Kiel, in which the boyschoir also sings most of its performances, a large part of the repertoire is sacred.
The young singers go through an about two-year training course in the “junior choir” before they join the concert choir, usually at the end of their time in primary school (3rd or 4th grade). Here they take part in the twice-weekly choir rehearsals and receive individual voice training.
Since spring 2020, the Kieler Knabenchor is directed by Jan-Hendrik Jensch.