The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir (ISC) was founded in 1937 at the request of (ISO) conductor , who required a trained chorus for the finale of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony to close the 1937-1938 season. This continued partnership exhibits the best of collaborative ideals—two independent arts organizations combining their strengths to create beautifully lasting musical results. Throughout its history spanning more than three-quarters of a century, leaders in the choral arts have served as ISC music directors, including , Don Neuen, Charles Webb, John W. Williams, and Robert Porco.
In addition to collaborative performances with the ISO, the Symphonic Choir presents its own performances, educational initiatives, and special events each season. The Sacred Masterworks concert series focuses on a large-scale, choral-orchestral repertoire and is complemented by an array of educational experiences. The annual holiday concert, Festival of Carols, features the choir in performance with orchestra and special guest artists. Festival performances have appeared on national television broadcasts, regional radio broadcasts, and have been recorded.
The ISC believes that the arts play an integral role in cultivating a well-rounded education. Through its Spotlight Choir initiative, the organization invites local high school choirs to perform side by side with ISC choir members at the Festival of Carols. This partnership provides an experience for young people to hone their musicianship, study skills, communication, problem-solving, time management, and more through side-by-side rehearsals, professional instruction, and performance hall presentations.
The ISC’s Conducting Fellowship, established in 2012, provides one-of-a-kind professional mentorship opportunities for the next generation of choral conductors. Especially focusing on large-scale, choral-orchestral masterworks, the Conducting Fellowship is a collaborative initiative between ISC and . The two-year fellowship for master’s degree students provides full tuition and stipends. Upon successful completion of the program, the student will have earned a Master of Music in choral conducting from Butler University and gained practical and applied experience addressing the artistic and administrative needs of leading symphonic choirs. The Conducting Fellowship provides a 360-degree experience in the guidance of a symphonic chorus, including artist programming, development, communications, governance, and outreach initiatives.
Additional educational initiatives include In-Choir-ing Minds, a lecture performance featuring a choral masterwork, and Words on Music, a brief lecture before performances. Roundtables are also held throughout each season for choir directors from area schools, universities, congregations, and community ensembles.
Commissioning new works is critical to the choir’s mission, and recent years have seen numerous commissioned works added to the body of choral repertoire. The Christmas Carol Commission Competition, launched in 2009, encourages young composers (35 and under) to submit their work for a premier public performance by the ISC at the Festival of Carols and includes a $2,500 cash prize.
The Symphonic Choir led a three-year city-wide commissioning consortium, which culminated with the April 2015 performance of a new oratorio titled Zabur by noted composer Mohammed Fairouz at Carnegie Hall in 2016. A recording of this Carnegie Hall performance subsequently was released on the Naxos recording label.
ISC has appeared in performances around the world. The group traveled to Washington, D.C., in April 2018 as a guest of ISO to participate in SHIFT, a week-long festival that takes place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. SHIFT, a partnership of Kennedy Center and Washington Performing Arts, highlights the talents of North American orchestras of all sizes. The Choir’s also released a recording, Festival of Carols, produced by Naxos in 2019. It features two-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sylvia McNair.
ISC has been led by Artistic Director Eric Stark since 1996. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in residence at Butler University’s , Indianapolis. The Choir reaches more than 20,000 persons each season through performances and education and community engagement programs. The 150 volunteer singers demonstrate the choir’s commitment to musical excellence through their talent and dedication during each 10-month season.
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