Donald Palumbo. Photo by Todd Rosenberg Photography.
In Tuesday’s (6/3) Chicago Sun-Times, Miriam Di Nunzio writes, “World-renowned choral director and educator Donald Palumbo has been named chorus director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus after a multi-year national search, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association announced Tuesday. Palumbo will begin his three-year tenure on July 1. He becomes only the third chorus director in the ensemble’s 67-year history, succeeding Duain Wolfe, who retired in 2018 after 28 seasons. Margaret Hillis, the founder of the chorus in 1957 (and the first woman to conduct the CSO), held the post for 37 years prior to Wolfe. Palumbo is familiar to Chicago audiences, following his 2022 debut here as guest chorus director with the CSO for Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. He returned in 2023 for Beethoven’s Missa solemnis. Palumbo also was chorus master of Lyric Opera from 1991 to 2007. ‘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…’ said Jeff Alexander, president of the CSOA … The CSO chorus has previously won 10 Grammy Awards in the category of best choral performance, most recently in 2010…. Palumbo’s previous posts include chorus master” in major opera houses and festivals in France and Italy.
