May Festival

What May Festival does

The Cincinnati May Festival (legal entity: Cincinnati Musical Festival Association) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1873 and headquartered at Music Hall, 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. It operates the oldest choral festival in the Western Hemisphere, presenting an annual festival of nine productions anchored by a volunteer May Festival Chorus of 120-130 avocational singers and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The organization maintains its own independent nonprofit status while operating through a shared services agreement with the CSO, which provides the orchestra, venue, and box office infrastructure. Beyond the flagship annual festival, May Festival operates the May Festival Youth Chorus (founded 1987), the May Festival Chamber Choir, and conducts educational outreach including free in-school choral clinics.

Revenue is generated through five streams: ticket sales and subscription packages (handled via the CSO box office and cincinnatisymphony.org), individual donations to the annual fund, corporate sponsorship (presenting and season sponsors), foundation and government grants (including a $20,000 NEA award for the 25 for 25 commissioning project), and digital content distribution via free YouTube livestreams and the CSO On Demand portal. The organization has expanded its operational footprint through strategic alliances — the Cincinnati Boychoir was integrated under the May Festival structure effective July 1, 2024, and Vocal Arts Ensemble unified its board with May Festival in May 2026 — while preserving each partner's independent nonprofit status. Administrative staffing is lean (Executive Director Julianne Akins Smith, Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson, plus Education, Chorus Operations, and Executive Coordinator roles), with artistic labor supplied primarily by the volunteer chorus contributing over 40,000 hours annually and a rotating Festival Director model featuring internationally acclaimed artists (Julia Wolfe 2024, Renée Fleming 2025, Julia Bullock 2026, Marin Alsop 2027).

The organization does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its distribution channels are the physical Music Hall venue (used for 95 festivals), free YouTube livestreams reaching global audiences, WGUC 90.9 radio broadcasts, and the shared CSO digital infrastructure. Marketing is conducted through email newsletters, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), press coverage in Cincinnati media, and community events such as Dîner en Fleur in Washington Park.

Name

May Festival

Legal name

Cincinnati Musical Festival Association

Website

https://mayfestival.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Cincinnati May Festival is a 152-year-old nonprofit operating the Western Hemisphere's oldest choral festival, presenting nine annual productions with a 120-130 member volunteer chorus and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Revenue is generated via ticket sales, donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Choral Music Festival / Performing Arts

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH), Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

Keywords

• Choral music festival
• Classical music concerts
• Youth chorus education
• Choral arts programming
• Live performance venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual concert tickets, festival passes, and subscription packages for the annual May Festival performances at Music Hall
2. Individual Giving: Donations from individuals supporting the annual fund, with sponsorships for specific programs and conductor positions
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Sponsorship revenue from corporate partners including presenting sponsors and season sponsors
4. Foundation and Government Grants: Grant funding from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts ($20,000 for 25 for 25 commissioning project), Ohio Arts Council, and others
5. Digital Content: Livestream broadcasts and digital programming extending access to audiences beyond physical attendance

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The May Festival is an annual choral music festival founded in 1873, presenting nine productions each season with the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. It commissions new choral works, runs the May Festival Youth Chorus and May Festival Choral Conducting Fellowship, and delivers community and educational programs. The organization operates the May Festival Chorus (120-130 volunteer singers) and the Youth Chorus, and offers ticketed concerts, subscription packages, and free digital livestreams.

Product overview

The Cincinnati May Festival is an annual choral music festival (founded 1873) that serves as the core product, hosting nine dynamic productions with international guest artists. The organization operates through multiple interconnected products: the May Festival itself (the flagship annual event), the May Festival Chorus (120-130 volunteer singers serving as the official chorus of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops), and the May Festival Youth Chorus (free youth education program founded 1987). Strategic alliances include the Cincinnati Boychoir (operating under May Festival structure since July 2024) and Vocal Arts Ensemble (unified governance announced 2026). Supporting programs include the Choral Conducting Fellowship (annual fellowship for emerging conductors), Community Chorus (expanded participation events), Youth Voices United (regional youth collaboration), Music Makers of Tomorrow (student ticket endowment), and the 25 for 25 commissioning project (25 new choral works from Luna Composition Lab).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Geraldine V. Chavez Center for the Choral Arts: The center for choral arts operations at Music Hall

Products and services

• May Festival (Annual Festival) An annual choral music festival held at Cincinnati Music Hall since 1873, presenting nine productions each season featuring the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra with international guest artists and conductors.
• May Festival Chorus A volunteer chorus of 120-130 avocational singers from the Greater Cincinnati region who collectively devote over 40,000 hours annually in rehearsals and performances. Serves as the official chorus of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops.
• May Festival Youth Chorus A free youth choral education program connecting, inspiring, and educating young people through choral music study and performance, ranging from Medieval era to world-premiere contemporary commissions. Appears annually at the May Festival.
• May Festival Choral Conducting Fellowship An annual fellowship created in 2013 in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, providing emerging conductors with opportunities to assist in leadership of the May Festival Chorus for one season.
• 25 for 25: A New Time for Choral Music A commissioning project partnering with Luna Composition Lab to commission 25 new choral works from young female, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming composers for choral ensembles across Greater Cincinnati. Supported by a $20,000 NEA Grant for Arts Projects.
• May Festival Community Chorus An expanded community chorus initiative inviting singers from across the Cincinnati region to participate in special presentations, such as Handel's Messiah with over 300 participants.
• Youth Voices United A collaborative choral event for youth singers in grades 8-12 from Cincinnati, northern Kentucky, and southeast Indiana, celebrating youth singing culture with rehearsals, social activities, and performances.
• Cincinnati Boychoir A choir for male-identifying youth from grades 3-12 across the Greater Cincinnati Region offering musical enrichment, performance, and touring opportunities. Operates under the May Festival organizational structure effective July 1, 2024 while preserving its independent nonprofit status.
• Vocal Arts Ensemble A professional choral ensemble in Cincinnati that announced a unified board of directors with May Festival in May 2026, advancing a shared vision for professional choral music while preserving each organization's independent nonprofit status.
• Digital Livestreams Free YouTube and website livestreams of May Festival performances, plus radio broadcasts via WGUC 90.9 partnership, extending access to global audiences beyond physical venue capacity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ hours annually contributed by volunteer chorus members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant and secondary.

• Vocal Arts EnsemblecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Cincinnati May Festival and Vocal Arts Ensemble announced 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.
• Cincinnati BoychoircoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Strategic alliance announced April 30, 2024 effective July 1, 2024. Organizations began operating under the May Festival organizational structure while preserving the Boychoir identity, brand, programming, and independent non-profit status. Jason Holmes serves as Artistic Director.
• Luna Composition LabsignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2022Collaboration with Luna Composition Lab (Kaufman Music Center, New York) for 25 for 25: A New Time for Choral Music commissioning project. Composers from Luna Lab write 25 new choral works for local choral ensembles across Greater Cincinnati.
• Cincinnati Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe May Festival works with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra through a unique shared services agreement. Each organization retains its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit status while leveraging shared resources, expertise, and artistic operations. The CSO serves as the official orchestra for the May Festival and the May Festival Chorus serves as the official chorus of the CSO and Cincinnati Pops.
• Cincinnati BalletsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative performances including Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with Cincinnati Ballet (November 2022) and programming collaborations for the 150th anniversary season.
• Cleveland Orchestra ChorussecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for May Festival performances including Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand, with Lisa Wong directing the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus.
• Cincinnati Youth ChoirsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative youth choral programming and joint performances; managing Artistic Director Robyn Lana leads CYC in festival performances.
• CET (Public Media Connect)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for documentary The City That Sings: Cincinnati's May Festival, airing on CET and associated platforms to showcase the May Festival's impact on the Greater Cincinnati community.
• WGUC 90.9secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for live radio broadcasts of May Festival performances, including the 150th anniversary Mahler Symphony No. 8 broadcast.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cleveland Orchestra: A peer major US orchestra with a partner chorus (Cleveland Orchestra Chorus) that has collaborated with the May Festival on Mahler Symphony of a Thousand. Comparable orchestral scale, choral programming, and Midwest institutional profile.
• Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: The May Festival's official orchestra partner and shared-services counterparty. Operates the same Music Hall venue, shares box office/marketing/communications, and serves as the festival's institutional backbone — broader portfolio but structurally intertwined.

Direct peers

• Berkshire Choral International: A choral festival organization presenting large-scale choral-orchestral works with amateur singers and professional conductors. Highly comparable in repertoire, festival format, and reliance on avocational singers for production scale.
• Toronto Mendelssohn Choir: A Canadian choral organization founded in 1894 that performs major choral-orchestral works with a partner symphony orchestra. Highly comparable in community chorus model, symphony partnership, and large-scale choral-orchestral programming.
• Oregon Bach Festival: A long-running US choral festival with a comparable community chorus, international guest artists, and summer-festival programming model. Closely matches the May Festival's structure of presenting major choral-orchestral works anchored by a resident volunteer chorus.
• Handel and Haydn Society: One of the oldest continuously operating choral organizations in the US (founded 1815), presenting choral-orchestral works with a professional chorus and orchestra. Directly comparable in mission, repertoire focus, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts model.
• Indianapolis Symphonic Choir: A regional symphonic chorus with a 130+ singer avocational model and partnership with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Directly comparable in operational structure; former artistic home of Robert Porco (May Festival's long-time Director of Choruses).
• Carmel Bach Festival: An annual West Coast choral/vocal festival with a similar programming mix of classical and commissioned works, festival chorus model, and reliance on ticketed events plus donations. Comparable in scale and operational structure.

Others

• Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Major US orchestra with deep ties to the May Festival's 2027 Festival Director Marin Alsop (Music Director Laureate). Comparable in classical programming scale; relevant as the institutional home of the next Festival Director.
• Chorus America: The national service organization for the choral field, having awarded the May Festival's Robert Porco and granted the organization its DEI Leadership Award. Not a peer in programming, but the closest industry body that contextualizes May Festival's competitive set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_T8kcUg0CXyF47LikBQJ7A
• Facebookfacebook.com/MayFestival
• Instagraminstagram.com/mayfestivalcincy
• Xx.com/cincymayfest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-may-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about May Festival