Saengerfest

A Saengerfest, meaning "singer's festival", is a German tradition that was brought to the USA by German settlers in Cincinnati in 1849. The festivals included performances by choirs and sing-a-longs of traditional carols and songs. Because of the rapid growth and popularity of Saengerfest in Cincinnati, more than fourteen German singing societies came together to propose to the city that a new hall be built for their concerts and festivals. Saengerfest Hall was completed by the festival of 1870 and served as the model and influence for Music Hall which was built in its place eight years later. The new hall contributed to the continuous success of Saengerfest and made music festivals a valuable component of Cincinnati's culture.

Music Hall and May Festival

Choral societies that acquainted at Saengerfest combined in 1873 to form the May Festival Chorus, the first major cultural institution of Cincinnati. May Festival Chorus performed in Saengerfest Hall, but as the Festival grew a more permanent space was needed. Reuben Springer, a patron of Cincinnati, pledged $125,000 if the citizens of Cincinnati would match his donation to make Cincinnati's Music Hall in 1878.

Music Hall was originally built to hold 5,000 guests, but after a renovation in 1895, which still exists, the hall was scaled down to hold 3,650. The May Festival Chorus continues to be one of the few volunteer choruses of such a large size. Over the past 140 years, Music Hall had been used for performing arts, commercial exhibitions, political conventions, graduation ceremonies and dances and was recognized as a National Historical site in 1970. The May Festival Chorus still sings their annual concert every May accompanied by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

In a career spanning more than 50 years, Maestro Kunzel conducted orchestras across the globe, including appearances with the National Symphony, the Chicago Symphony and the Boston Pops, among others. He was presented with the National Medal of Arts by President and Mrs. George W. Bush, and was a 2009 inductee into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.

"From the start, we were so impressed with Erich's boundless energy, passion and enthusiasm, and he was a key factor in why we chose Cincinnati for the 2012 Games in the first place," said Günter Titsch, president of INTERKULTUR, the German-based organizer of the World Choir Games. "Erich's talent and vision cannot be replaced, but this dedication will serve as a constant reminder about Cincinnati USA's beloved favorite son who helped make it all possible."