Arno Raunig was born in Klagenfurt, Austria, on January 14, 1957. His parents divorced when he was 2 years old. After that, he lived with his mother in a small basement room. Despite the difficulties of life, he and his oldest sister, Christine, had a happy childhood, surrounded by the kindest person in the world - their grandmother, loving aunt and uncle.

Little Arno loved skiing, cycling and walking with his grandmother around (sometimes 10 km a day!). Reading books has been his favorite pastime since childhood. Now his library contains more than 7,000 books. He also loves cars. Now driving, repairing cars and reading books are his favorite hobbies.

There were no musicians or artists in his family. Arno's grandmother sang lullabies and folk songs to him and he began to sing them with her.  Friends and neighbors admired his voice. Perhaps this influenced his mother to bring him to the famous Austrian choir director (deputy director for the Vienna State Opera and artistic director of the Vienna Boys' Choir), Hans Gillesberger. At the first audition, professor Gillesberger was so impressed by the high and clear voice of the little boy that Arno was immediately invited in the Vienna Boys' Choir.