The May Festival

Founded in 1873, the Cincinnati May Festival is the oldest choral festival in the Western Hemisphere and is distinguished by its unique community-based structure and a standard of extraordinary artistic excellence. The annual festival, anchored by the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), hosts an international array of guest artists and presents nine dynamic productions. The Festival is under the leadership of Principal Conductor Juanjo Mena and Director of Choruses Robert Porco.

The May Festival Chorus of 120 auditioned volunteer members has earned critical acclaim locally, nationally, and internationally for its musicality, range of repertoire and sheer power of sound. The ensemble has received numerous awards and national recognition for recordings, PBS and NPR broadcasts and appearances at Carnegie Hall. The Chorus performs year-round as the official chorus of the CSO and the Pops, making it one of the most prolific choral ensembles in the country. Members collectively devote over 43,000 hours each year to rehearsals and performances. 

Choral organizations such as the May Festival have been hit particularly hard as a result of the pandemic. We hope you will consider our organization as a beneficiary of your Giving Tuesday contributions during this critical year.