Recent History of the Columbus Symphony Chorus

The Columbus Symphony Chorus, beginning its 46th season and numbering over 120 singers, is one of the largest volunteer components of the Columbus Symphony family. During the past 24 years under the leadership of Maestro Ronald J. Jenkins, the Chorus has grown both in the quality of its performances and in the diversity of its repertoire. Darrel Rosenbluth, New York Concert Review critic remarked of the Chorus after their April, 2001 performance of Prologue in Heaven from Mefistofele, "This was choral singing of impeccable realization and subtle shading that carried the celestial paradise of Boito's text to earthly ears."

The chorus has performed a wide variety of repertoire in recent years including Carmina Burana, Beethoven Symphony No. 9, and John Rutter's modern work, The Falcon. Of Carmina Burana, Dispatch music critic Barbara Zuck wrote, "The chorus cleanly and clearly led us all through the work's many colors and temperaments."

The Chorus's annual Holiday Pops concerts have grown into one of the best-loved musical traditions in the central Ohio area, including four concerts on the first weekend of December. Last year's Holiday Pops, under the direction of Jenkins, drew over 10,000 audience members to the Ohio Theatre and sold out the four performances.

The Columbus Symphony Chorus has developed a tradition of performances with fine choirs in the Columbus community, notably the 1997 triumph, Mahler Symphony No. 8, and in conjunction with the select choral ensembles of The Ohio State University and Otterbein College, the chorus performed Rossini's Stabat Mater, and two seasons ago Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana was presented with the Capital University Chapel Choir and the Columbus Children's Chorus. Last season the chorus again joined with Capital and Otterbein to present an all-Verdi concert. Another such collaboration occurred in 2001 with Peer Gynt, a unique event that was jointly produced with the OSU Department of Theatre in association with the Wexner Center for the Arts.

The Symphony Chorus looks forward with excitement to the upcoming season!