Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence
This award honors the memory of Margaret Hillis, founder of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and its conductor for 37 years, for her more than 40 years of professional achievement and outstanding contributions to the choral art. An engraved plaque and cash award of $5,000 is presented annually to a member chorus that demonstrates artistic excellence, a strong organizational structure, and a commitment to outreach, education, and/or culturally diverse activities.
Eligibility rotates through a three-year cycle: children/youth choruses (2014), professional and professional-core choruses (2015), and adult volunteer choruses (2016). A chorus may win this award only once.
The award winner will be selected by a panel of judges consisting of the Chairman of Chorus America or an appointed delegate, the President of Chorus America or an appointed delegate, a member of the Board of Directors of Chorus America, and a conductor or singer from a Chorus America member chorus, who is not presently serving on the Chorus America Board and whose chorus will not be under consideration for the award.
The recipient of the 2013 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence is the Atlanta Sacred Chorale, led by artistic director Eric Nelson. The award will be presented during Chorus America's 2013 Annual Conference.
Past Recipients
| 2012 | Los Angeles Master Chorale |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Boston Children’s Chorus |
| 2010 | Choral Arts (Seattle, WA) |
| 2009 | Cantus |
| 2008 | Anima (formerly known as the Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus) |
| 2007 | National Lutheran Choir |
| 2006 | Grant Park Chorus |
| 2005 | Conspirare The Rose Ensemble |
| 2004 | SHALLAWAY-Newfoundland and Labrador Youth in Chorus (formerly known as Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir) |
| 2003 | Mormon Tabernacle Choir Seattle Pro Musica |
| 2002 | Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia |
| 2001 | Gregg Smith Singers |
| 2000 | San Francisco Girls Chorus |
| 1999 | Master Chorale of Washington (formerly known as Paul Hill Chorale) |
| 1998 | Vancouver Chamber Choir |
| 1997 | Detroit Concert Choir |
| 1996 | VocalEssence (formerly known as Plymouth Music Series) |
| 1995 | Chanticleer |
| 1994 | Susquehanna Chorale |
| 1993 | Pacific Chorale |
| 1992 | Dale Warland Singers |
