Vienna hosts the annual New Year's Eve concert broadcast from the Musikverein's Golden Hall.
The Vienna New Year's Concert is performed by the Vienna Philharmonic in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. Despite its name and association with the holiday season, the principal concert takes place on January 1, with preview performances held on December 30 and December 31. International broadcasts connect the performance with New Year's celebrations around the world.
The program focuses mainly on music by the Strauss family, especially Johann Strauss II, along with works by other composers from the Viennese dance-music tradition. The famous finale normally includes the “Blue Danube” waltz and “Radetzky March,” although the exact program and conducting arrangements vary.
The concert began in 1939, when Clemens Krauss conducted the first performance. The Vienna Philharmonic has continued the tradition, and the conductor changes from year to year. The event is often confused with a concert held on New Year's Eve itself, but the globally televised main concert is a New Year's Day performance.