With the Space Certificate, the Vienna Residence Orchestra and the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra (which also became part of the WRO family in 2014) are joining a visionary project that will carry the classical sounds of Vienna beyond the borders of our planet.
The Vienna Residence Orchestra
is becoming part of Space Mission Vienna.
A Special Tribute to Viennese Musical Culture
On May 31, it becomes official: The renowned Vienna Residence Orchestra and the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra will receive the Space Certificate—an award that not only sounds ceremonial but also literally reaches into space.
As part of the “Space Mission Vienna” initiative, music from Vienna will be symbolically sent into space. Taking part: the two orchestras of the WRO family.
What is the Space Certificate?
The Space Certificate is part of an innovative cultural project by the platform Space.Vienna that combines music, art, and space travel. The goal is to literally carry Vienna’s cultural richness beyond the borders of Earth. Selected ensembles receive a digital certificate of honor—and their music is saved as an audio file on board a space mission.
Why the Vienna Residence Orchestra?
For decades, the Vienna Residence Orchestra and the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra have been among the defining orchestras of the Viennese music scene. With their interpretations of works by Johann Strauss, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Vivaldi, Franz Lehar, Emmerich Kalman, and many more, they represent musical excellence, Viennese tradition, and cultural ambassadorship at the highest level.
It is precisely this combination of history and vibrant performance practice that makes these orchestras ideal musical ambassadors for the orbit.
What happens on May 31
The Mission Launch on May 31 was the official kickoff for the space campaign, during which the musical pieces were to be transferred into space. The launch was accompanied by a ceremony with media representatives, invited guests, and musical performances.
The Vienna Residence Orchestra and the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra were not just honorees; they also provided musical material for the journey into space with a waltz arrangement.
Music from Vienna – for the whole world (and beyond).
The award shows that classical music from Vienna is not just history, but the future. It is emotional and transcendent, and—like space travel—an expression of human vision.
“That our music is now making the leap into space is a great honor and a powerful symbol of this art form’s timelessness,” said a spokesperson for the orchestra.
An Outlook – and an Invitation
With the Space Certificate, the Vienna Residence Orchestra and the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra become part of a project that transcends cultural boundaries. More ensembles and contributions are set to follow.
But to experience the magic of these orchestras, you don’t have to travel to space: The Vienna Residence Orchestra presents a daily concert series at the Palais der alten Börse, and the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra performs at the Konzerthaus Wien and in the historic halls of the Hofburg Palace.
The Vienna Residence Orchestra, a chamber orchestra with a long tradition, performs works of Viennese classical music to perfection.
