May Festival Robert Porco, Director of Choruses

Robert Porco has been recognized as one of the leading choral musicians in the United States. For more than 35 years he has been an active conductor of choral and orchestral works, as well as opera. During his career Mr. Porco has conducted or prepared most of the major choral repertoire, ranging from the cantatas of Bach to the 2003 Pulitzer Prize-winning On the Transmigration of Souls performed by the May Festival Chorus in 2008 under the baton of the composer John Adams.

Mr. Porco’s conducting career has spanned western Europe and the United States, including performances at the Edinburgh Festival and in Lucerne and Reykjavik, as well as for the May Festival and the Tanglewood, Berkshire, Blossom and Grant Park festivals. He has been a regular guest conductor for the May Festival since 1991, with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra since 1996 and with The Cleveland Orchestra since 2000.

In 2009–2010, Mr. Porco celebrates his 21st season as Director of Choruses for the May Festival. Highlights of his tenure include three highly acclaimed appearances in Carnegie Hall, including performances with the CSO under Jesús López-Cobos in 1991 and under James Conlon in 2001 and with The Cleveland Orchestra under Robert Shaw in 1995.

This season is also Mr. Porco’s 12th as Director of Choruses for The Cleveland Orchestra.

Mr. Porco has gained national recognition for his preparation of choruses for such prominent conductors as John Adams, Pierre Boulez, James Conlon, Andrew Davis, Christoph von Dohnányi, Paavo Järvi, Erich Kunzel, Raymond Leppard, James Levine, Jahja Ling, Jesús López-Cobos, Zubin Mehta, John Nelson, André Previn, Kurt Sanderling, Leonard Slatkin, Robert Shaw, Franz Welser-Möst, John Williams and David Zinman.

From 1988 to 1998, Mr. Porco was Artistic Director and Conductor of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. From 1979 to 1998, he was Professor of Music and Chairman of the Choral Department of Indiana University School of Music, where he was also a frequent conductor of opera and choral/orchestral programs.

As teacher and mentor, Mr. Porco has guided and influenced the development of hundreds of musicians, most of whom are now active as professional conductors, singers or teachers in schools of music, performance ensembles or solo careers. Mr. Porco also is a sought-after guest instructor and coach for conservatory students and young professional conductors and singers.

Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni