In its sixth year, Cincinnati Song Initiative proudly presents the world premieres by the participants of the 2025-2026 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Composer Mentorship Program.

The ten fellows of The Fellowship of the Song take the stage for the second of two scintillating programs.

Dr. Darryl Taylor, internationally acclaimed countertenor, scholar, and professor of voice at the University of California, Irvine, will present a lecture celebrating the centennial of composer Robert Owens (1925–2017). A leading interpreter and advocate for Owens’ music, Dr. Taylor explores the composer’s life, his collaborations with poets including Langston Hughes, and the powerful legacy of his songs within the African American Art Song tradition. Through historical insight and musical illustration, the presentation highlights how Owens’ work preserves cultural memory while continuing to inspire singers and audiences today.

Artistic Director Samuel Martin moderates a roundtable discussion with distinguished composer Lori Laitman and soprano Laura Strickling that illuminates the process of artists engaging and interacting with composers. From the conceiving and commissioning of a new work through the preparation and performance of its premiere, the conversation will draw back the curtain on this often murky process.

LaToya Lain and Casey Robards lead The Fellowship of the Song’s fourth and final song workshop in an in-depth exploration of John Carter’s iconic Cantata.

In this unique staged adaptation of Franz Schubert’s masterpiece song cycle, Winterreise tells the story of a person who has lost their connection to their community. In the isolation brought on by their trauma, the protagonist unravels. Cast away from his home, without a safety net, he plunges into the chasm of mental illness.

LaToya Lain and Casey Robards lead The Fellowship of the Song’s third song workshop in program of Spirituals.

How did the spirituals inspire and motivate the marginalized and oppressed to action? This lecture-recital embarks on a journey through time and across continents, tracing the influence of spirituals on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Highlander Folk School, as well Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.

The ten fellows of The Fellowship of the Song take the stage for the first of two scintillating programs.

CSI staff members Natasha Naik and Sam Martin avail themselves to the burning questions held by audience members on how to bring their own unique projects to life. How do you write a grant? What paperwork do you file to start your own nonprofit organization? How do you go about organizing a community concert or event? Best practices for fundraising? It’s an open discussion during this favorite annual Fellowship class.

A journey across borders and identities, Come to Ukraine, Look for America weaves music in Ukrainian, Russian, English, Hebrew, and German into a shared story of resilience, discovery, and renewal. Moving between languages and experiences, this program illuminates unexpected connections between cultures, showing how memory and hope resonate across continents.

Soprano Julia Bullock, this year’s May Festival Director, joins the Fellowship for a characteristically open and enlightening conversation. Moderated by Artistic Director Samuel Martin, questions from the audience will guide this session on topics such as artistic curation, engaging with communities through the arts, and creating a truly unique and meaningful career in the classical vocal arts in the twenty-first century.

Kayo Iwama leads The Fellowship of the Song’s second song workshop in a program of songs by Asian and Asian-American composers.

Kayo Iwama leads The Fellowship of the Song’s first song workshop in a diverse program exploring the joys and trials of love.

Experience an enchanting evening of musical storytelling in collaboration with the Red Door Chamber Music Series. Jake Heggie’s monumental cycle Camille Claudel: Into the Fire drops us into the vivid and beautiful - yet troubled - mind of the famed French sculptor. Gregory Spears’ song cycle Walden, newly arranged for baritone and string quartet, brings to life the deep and reflective words of Henry David Thoreau in search of simple living, self-reliance, and nature. Together, this program explores important themes of human nature and how we relate to our environment.

A delightful cadre of artists shines in solo and ensemble songs celebrating the season of love. The all-German program recalls an era of intimate salon concerts shared amongst close friends and pays homage to Cincinnati’s deep cultural roots.

The launch of Cincinnati Song Initiative’s tenth season brings us together with familiar stories of passion, pain, longing, nostalgia, and ecstasy. From cool, dew-filled mornings to warm summer Tennessee evenings, this evocative program features iconic twentieth century American giants alongside some of the greatest English and American composers of the next generation.

In its fifth year, Cincinnati Song Initiative proudly presents the world premieres by the 2024-2025 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Composer Mentorship Program mentees.

Join four singer-pianist duos as they work with the unparalleled soprano and arts leader Renée Fleming. Get an exclusive inside look into the perfection of not only song performances, but the collaborative process of interpretation between singers and pianists.

The ten fellows of The Fellowship of the Song take the stage for the second of two scintillating programs.

Today, art song is primarily experienced in niche or academic spaces, despite the noble efforts of many art song initiatives across the country. Modern American audiences crave accessibility, relevance, and participation, but most have never had the chance to experience art song up close. So what if we could get them out of their seats and bring them onto the stage from the comfort of their home?

The science is undeniable: our earth's climate is changing at alarming rates, and only we have the power to curb the effects it will have on our planet. The world premiere of Lisa Neher's monumental cycle confronts this reality while Ericsson Hatfield's award-winning cycle God's World celebrates the natural world that we must continue to cherish and protect.

Margo Garrett leads The Fellowship of the Song’s fourth and final song workshop in a program traversing the wonders of night - and the love and loss that come with it.

Love, in all its forms, can be found throughout nature and in each of us. Sometimes it's sensual, blissful, unconditional. Sometimes it's surprising, crazy, carnal. No matter the moment, love is everywhere - always.

Margo Garrett leads The Fellowship of the Song’s third song workshop in an all-French program.

Alex Fletcher, President of Fletcher Artist Management, provides a private lunch-and-learn session to illuminate the world of managers. From building a career based on artists’ passions, to how the client-manager relationship works, to whether management is right for every particular artist, this conversation covers topics tailored to the Fellows’ specific questions.

The ten fellows of CSI’s inaugural The Fellowship of the Song take the stage for the first of two scintillating programs.

CSI staff members Natasha Naik and Sam Martin avail themselves to the burning questions held by Fellows on how to bring their own unique projects to life. How do you write a grant? What paperwork do you file to start your own nonprofit organization? How do you go about organizing a community concert or event? Best practices for fundraising? It’s an open discussion at this lunch-and-learn event, tailored to whatever questions the Fellows have.

To be announced