In 2024 the May Festival launched a new artistic model that embraces the Festival’s traditions and advances its vision. The new artistic leadership model aims to invigorate all aspects of artistic planning and preparation through the close collaboration between two artistic leads: an annual Festival Director and the May Festival Director of Choruses. A new Festival Director, drawn from a variety of artistic disciplines, will be engaged each year to offer fresh perspectives and experiences that infuse the Festival with artistic innovation and exciting new collaborations.

This new model advances the vision of May Festival to be the most exciting force in the choral world, driving relevance and artistic excitement into the Cincinnati community each spring. The May Festival is built on 152 years of rich traditions and intends to honor those traditions by expanding the audience base and community interest in singing.

• Constant Each Year:
• Director of Choruses – to emphasize & showcase our artistic strengths
• May Festival Chorus & Youth Chorus – a feature of the artistic experience
• Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra – key feature & partner, elevating the artistic experience & expanding audience interest
• Honored traditions reimagined – Herald trumpets, social gatherings, and florals, always designed to enhance the Festival feel
• Festival “feel” and welcoming environment – build a welcoming environment around the excitement & passion of the people of the May Festival community
• Core Motives of the May Festival – creating new music, fostering music-makers of tomorrow & presenting a chorus of everyday people
• New Each Year:
• Festival Director – selected to bring fresh artistic perspective, leverage artistic strengths & strategically amplify May Festival on national & international scale
• Programmatic Journey – working with Director of Choruses, curate a fresh artistic journey tailored to highlight the May Festival