Christmas music and the Vienna Boys Choir are a magical combination. Their concert at George Mason University on Friday begins with a procession like those seen in the great cathedrals and churches of Europe. Before the evening ends, they will have sung music ranging from Gregorian chants to contemporary numbers backed by one of the boys playing a guitar.

“If Mozart had a guitar, he would have played it,” said Kerem Sezen, conductor of the Haydn choir for the past 10 years. “We enjoy a big variety of music throughout the year. For our Christmas concerts, we like to sing music that represents many styles and nations. Our carols are from Germany, Austria, France and other European nations, as well as the United States. The choir will sing one carol from the Netherlands in Dutch and a piece by Benjamin Britten. There are some chapel pieces from the Baroque and Classical periods and even contemporary songs by Billy Joel and Freddie Mercury. It’s important to remember that Mozart and his contemporaries once were the youngsters of their time, so it’s not hard to imagine that today’s popular hits, like Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ will be recognized as classics two centuries from now.”