Description

The Stanford Summer Symphony Orchestra and Stanford Summer Chorus under the direction of Paul Phillips will perform Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise), Felix Mendelssohn's epic "symphony-cantata", on July 31 and August 1 in Bing Concert Hall. Historically important as the first symphony after Beethoven's 9th to combine orchestra and chorus, Lobgesang is widely considered one of Mendelssohn's greatest works. Music by Ethel Smyth and Shawn Kirchner will also be performed. The soloists in Lobgesang are Esther Tonea, a recent Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera; Chance Jonas-O'Toole, a recent alumnus of SF Opera's Merola Opera Program; and Jennie Yukyung Byun, an outstanding soprano in the Bay Area. Esther Tonea is a winner of the Metropolitan Opera's Laffont Vocal Competition and was soprano soloist in Mahler 2 with SSO in 2022. Chance Jonas-O'Toole, an American tenor who spent the last two years singing at Deutsche Oper Berlin, has sung with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, and other major orchestras and opera companies. Jennie Yukyung Byun performs with Melodique and has been a soprano soloist with the San Francisco Master Chorale and other ensembles throughout the Bay Area.

https://events.stanford.edu/event/summer-symphony-chorus-2026-1