St Louis Symphony Chorus Appoints New Director

Conductor Erin Freeman will step into the role

Following an extensive two-year search, the St Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) has announced that Erin Freeman has been named as the new Director of the St Louis Symphony Chorus. She succeeds Amy Kaiser, who held the position for 27 years and stepped down at the end of the 2021/22 season.

The chorus, which is made up of committed, auditioned volunteers, was founded in 1976 under Thomas Peck. Freeman will be only its third director.

Freeman is presently Artistic Director of The City Choir of Washington, Artistic Director of Wintergreen Music, and Principal Conductor of the Richmond Ballet, the State Ballet of Virginia.

She recently concluded successful tenures as Director of the award-winning Richmond Symphony Chorus and Director of Choral Activities at Virginia Commonwealth University.

In recent seasons, she has appeared with the New York City Ballet, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Portland (Maine) Symphony, South Carolina Philharmonic, Charlottesville Symphony, and the Virginia Symphony.

"The process was less of an audition and more of a mission," Freeman said of her audition in February 2024. "When you’re given a task to do something in preparation for a performance, the idea that it’s an audition disappears very quickly. We all did our best to make Fauré come to life with my vision and Stéphane [Denève]’s vision co-mingled to make a great performance."

"The St. Louis Symphony Chorus is extremely dear to my heart; therefore I am thrilled that Erin Freeman has accepted to become its new director," Denève said.

"Erin’s chemistry with the ensemble was palpable and her creative, inspired and deeply musical and collaborative leadership truly impressed me."