CINCINNATI, OH (May 5, 2026) — The Cincinnati May Festival and Vocal Arts Ensemble announced an evolution to their longstanding partnership, establishing a shared governance structure with a single unified board of directors that aligns strategic priorities and artistic planning while preserving each organization’s independent corporate nonprofit status.
This new model reflects a deepened commitment to collaboration between the institutions and builds on years of artistic partnership by creating a forward-looking approach to sustainability, community engagement and the continued elevation of choral artistry in the region under the May Festival umbrella. During its founding season in 1979, VAE performed at the May Festival and that tradition has continued to today.
“This is an intentional, measured step toward greater alignment building on a legacy of artistic and operational collaboration,” said Julianne Akins Smith, Executive Director of May Festival and VAE. “By connecting more closely with the May Festival’s vision and infrastructure, we are expanding what’s possible for professional choral singing in Cincinnati — allowing the vision of VAE to come to life.”
The unified governance enables both organizations to leverage their complementary strengths more effectively: the May Festival’s historic platform, civic reach and expansive educational footprint with VAE’s versatility and ability to perform as a professional ensemble of singers in intimate and unconventional settings. The VAE’s professional singers will be featured in a series of pop-up performances during the Festival, bringing high-caliber choral music into public spaces and neighborhood venues across Cincinnati.
“On behalf of the May Festival Board of Directors, we look forward to this strengthened partnership,” said Dr. Michael Curran, Board Chair of the May Festival. “It honors VAE’s legacy, creates innovative new pathways for artists to connect with audiences, and ensures that choral music will continue to thrive in Cincinnati.”
As part of this alignment, VAE will play a vital role in advancing the May Festival’s year-round presence in the community. VAE will contribute to education and engagement initiatives through workshops, school visits and collaborative programming — extending the May Festival and Cincinnati Boychoir’s growing footprint in classrooms, libraries and community settings.
Together, these efforts reinforce a shared goal: to make world-class choral music more visible and more accessible, transforming Cincinnati into a destination for aspiring singers while encouraging life-long relationships with singing at every age.
Alongside May Festival’s ongoing work with ensembles such as the Cincinnati Boychoir, the May Festival continues to invest in a continuum of choral experiences — from early education through professional performance — while honoring the unique role of each partner organization.
Vocal Arts Ensemble Announces 2026–27 Season
The 2026–27 VAE season will be Joe Miller’s second as Music Director and will continue his innovative approach to VAE concerts.
“In my first season as Music Director, we experienced, together, multi-sensory, atmospheric and immersive concerts,” said VAE Music Director Joe Miller. “In 26/27, we continue that trajectory with innovate concerts that push the boundaries of choral singing with themes that comprise the intersection between singing and beer making and a meditation on music spanning 500 years.”
Highlights of the upcoming season include:
- Fall 2026 at The Summit Country Day School Chapel
- This dusk-to-dark meditation-style concert is inspired by poetry and music spanning 500 years, transforming the chapel into a contemplative sonic environment.
- December 2026 at Christ Church Cathedral
- Building on last year’s sold-out concerts, this Christmas tradition grows deeper with an added performance. The Cincinnati Boychoir will join VAE, highlighting the artistic connections through the May Festival family of choruses.
- Spring 2027 at Rhinegeist Brewery
- Nodding to Cincinnati’s historic ties between singing and brewing, this program will include a newly commissioned work by composer Ben Owen, inspired by historic beer texts from Rhinegeist.
- May 2027 as part of the May Festival
- The season will culminate with performances as part of the May Festival, in collaboration with the Festival’s 2027 artistic leadership.
Full details and tickets for VAE’s 2026–27 season will be announced at a later date.
Audiences can hear VAE on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 7:30 PM performing in the concert “May Festival Presents | Vocal Arts Ensemble: Rossini’s Pettie Messe Solennelle” as part of the 2026 May Festival curated by Festival Director Julia Bullock and Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson. For tickets visit mayfestival.com.
ABOUT VAE
The Vocal Arts Ensemble is Greater Cincinnati’s premier professional vocal ensemble dedicated to presenting passionate and innovative performances of choral music that raise and nurture the public’s appreciation of the life-enriching qualities of the choral arts. VAE fills a unique niche in the Cincinnati region as a professional chamber choir. Earning a reputation for artistic excellence, VAE presents rich, passionate performances of a broad variety of choral works with precision and unparalleled virtuosity. VAE has enjoyed artistic leadership by some of the nation’s leaders in choral conducting, including Elmer Thomas, Earl Rivers, Donald Nally and Craig Hella Johnson. VAE announced the appointment of Joe Miller as its 5th Music Director, who began in the 2025-26 season.
ABOUT MAY FESTIVAL
“One of the Best Classical Music Festivals in the U.S. and Canada” (BBC Music Magazine, 2021–2025) and recognized as a leader in increasing diversity, equity, inclusion and access in the choral world (Chorus America, 2022), the Cincinnati May Festival is distinguished by its unique community-based structure and standard of extraordinary artistic excellence. Founded in 1873, the annual May Festival is the oldest choral festival in the Western Hemisphere. Many important choral works have received their world and American premieres at the May Festival in the past 150 years, including Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat, Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Benjamin Britten’s Gloriana, Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Death of the Bishop of Brindisi, and Robert Nathaniel Dett’s The Ordering of Moses. Anchored by the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the May Festival hosts an international array of guest artists in dynamic productions each year.
May Festival is also committed to serving young singers in the region through educational programs that include the May Festival Youth Chorus for SATB voices in grades 8-12, Greater Cincinnati Choral Academy for grades 3-6 in Cincinnati Public Schools and May Festival MiNiS, a mobile early childhood education program that introduces children of all ages to music through exploration of the world’s most accessible musical instrument, the human voice.