Donald Palumbo named next director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus

Palumbo is only the third chorus director in the Grammy Award-winning ensemble’s 67-year history.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA) has announced that distinguished choral director and educator Donald Palumbo has been selected as the next chorus director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. His appointment is the result of the unanimous recommendation of the Chorus Director Search Committee following a multi-season, national search. Palumbo will begin an initial three-year tenure beginning July 1, 2025. As chorus director, he will work with the Chicago Symphony Chorus each year to prepare multiple programs across the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s downtown season and the annual summer residency at the Ravinia Festival.

Palumbo prepares the Chicago Symphony Chorus for the first time as chorus director for its July 18 Ravinia Festival performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection) with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and renowned soloists led by the Festival’s Chief Conductor Marin Alsop. Prior to that, Palumbo prepares the Chorus as guest chorus director as previously announced for four performances of Verdi’s Requiem Mass June 19-24 conducted by Riccardo Muti, the CSO’s Music Director Emeritus for Life.

Palumbo is only the third chorus director to lead the Grammy Award-winning Chicago Symphony Chorus in its 67-year history. He succeeds Duain Wolfe, who was appointed to the role in 1994 by music director Daniel Barenboim and retired in 2022 after 28 seasons. The position was originally held by Margaret Hillis, the founding director of the Chorus. Hillis, appointed by the CSO’s sixth music director Fritz Reiner, led the Chorus for a distinguished tenure spanning more than three decades, from 1957 to 1994. Prior to this appointment, Palumbo was Chorus Master of the Metropolitan Opera for 17 years from 2007 until June 2024 and chorus director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago for 16 years from 1991 to 2007.

CSOA President Jeff Alexander said:

“In his previous work as guest director with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Donald Palumbo immediately created an atmosphere of collaboration that yielded exceptional artistry from the members of the Chorus. His distinguished tenures at the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago only added to the search committee’s interest in inviting him to step into this essential artistic role that allows us to present choral and operatic masterworks from the repertoire at the highest level. Through our conversations with Donald and his clear enthusiasm for working with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, we knew this would be the ideal choice to build on the legacy of this award-winning ensemble. We are delighted to welcome him to the CSO family.”

Donald Palumbo responded:

“I am extremely honored to have been chosen to lead this prestigious group of musicians.  I have admired their work since my arrival in Chicago in 1991, when I first met Margaret Hillis and attended many performances by the Chorus.  My recent work with them in preparing programs for Maestro Muti was a high point in my artistic life, and I’m excited about future collaborations with Maestro Mäkelä. They have set the gold standard for choral singing through their vocal and musical skills, and by their commitment to excellence in every rehearsal and performance.  I look forward to our collaboration in continuing the rich legacy of the Chorus.”

As Chorus Director, Palumbo prepares the Chicago Symphony Chorus for four programs with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra during the 2025/26 Season at Symphony Center, including Mozart’s Requiem conducted by Manfred Honeck (November 20-23), the annual holiday presentation of Merry, Merry Chicago! (December 19-23), a night of Italian opera repertoire including choruses by Verdi conducted by Riccardo Muti (March 19-21, 2026) and Poulenc’s Gloria conducted by Juraj Valčuha (May 14-16, 2026).

Palumbo made his CSO debut in 2022 as guest chorus director for concert performances of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera conducted by Zell Music Director Riccardo Muti and returned in 2023 to work with Muti and the Chicago Symphony Chorus for Beethoven’s Missa solemnis. 

In 2022, Musical America noted that “Palumbo made the most of this chorus’s fabled ability to both raise the roof and gently caress the ear” and The New York Times added that the Chorus “sounded richly massed, and sometimes terrifyingly robust.” In 2023, the Chicago Tribune noted that the Chorus was “excellently prepared,” and the Chicago Sun-Times agreed, saying the Chicago Symphony Chorus was “expertly prepared … handling it all with nimble dynamic control, clear diction, spot-on intonation, impeccable blend and a full-bodied, multifaceted tonal palette.”

As part of the search process, members of the Chicago Symphony Chorus had the opportunity in recent seasons to work with several outstanding choral conductors. The Chorus also had the opportunity to share feedback on their experiences with each candidate with the Chorus Director Search Committee. 

Chicago Symphony Chorus and Chorus Director Search Committee Member and AGMA Delegate Scott Uddenberg explained:

“Retaining the exceptional artistic tradition, sound, and legacy, as established by Margaret Hillis and maintained by Duain Wolfe for the Chicago Symphony Chorus were the hallmarks that informed the work of our search committee as we considered the best choice for the next Chorus Director. Having Donald Palumbo’s incredible expertise preparing the Chorus for significant opera and symphonic choral works and seeing his ongoing impact in our field helped to provide clarity in our committee’s decision and gave us full confidence in this choice. The musicians of the Chorus are excited that we have found wonderful new artistic leadership and will begin a new era of great music making together.”

The Chorus Director Search Committee comprised Chicago Symphony Chorus musicians Anastasia Cameron Balmer (soprano), Ace Gangoso (tenor) and Scott Uddenberg (bass); Chicago Symphony Orchestra Members’ Committee Chair William Buchman (Assistant Principal Bassoon); and CSOA President Jeff Alexander, Vice President for Artistic Planning Cristina Rocca and Director of Artistic Administration Randolph Elliot.