Hilliard Darby Choral Program

            Founded by accomplished composer/conductor/arranger, Dr. Michael G. Martin, the Hilliard Darby Choral Program is relentless in its quest for vocal excellence. Under the direction of Dr. Martin, Director of Choral Activities, and Mrs. Hannah Sterman-Wilson, Assistant Director of Choral Activities, the groups continually rank as one of the top choral programs in the country, receiving the highest ratings in local and international competitions. Darby choirs frequently tour throughout the United States and around Europe, including performances in Ireland, Italy, England, Washington D.C., New York, California, Hawaii, and more. Their concerts have been broadcast on national television and the BBC network. Whether singing in St. Paul’s and Salisbury Cathedrals, or receiving superior ratings at contests, Hilliard Darby Choir continues to pursue its craft, putting teamwork, technique, and musicality at the forefront. 

             The Hilliard Darby Choral Program consists of numerous choirs to meet the needs of the students: Concert Choir, Treble Chorale, Polyphonix, Men’s Chorus, Treble Chorus, Men in Black, Belle Voce, and Symphonic Choir. Symphonic Choir has received national awards, including, most recently, winning third place for The American Prize’s BACON award, which honors choral performances of music by American composers. Symphonic Choir was also a finalist in The American Prize’s category for best high school choral program in the country. Symphonic Choir has performed at ten Ohio Music Education Association Conventions, and they have also performed for two American Choral Directors Association Central Division Conventions. 

            In 2008, Symphonic was chosen out of hundreds of entries from across the country as one of three high school choirs to perform the Duruflé Requiem at Carnegie Hall with Dr. Craig Jessop, the former conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the St. Luke’s Orchestra. In 2014, the choir was invited by Dr. Jessop to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for the National Memorial Day Choral Festival. In the fall of 2015, Dr. Jessop was the Conductor in Residence at Hilliard Darby for a performance of Rutter’s “Mass of the Children.” For this concert, Symphonic Choir was joined by Una Voce (the newly formed Darby alumni choir) and the Columbus Children’s Choir. 

            A 2019 performance from Treble Chorus was featured at the Ohio Choral Directors Association summer conference, and all the Darby choirs have earned praise across numerous festivals, contests, and workshops for their mature tone, musicality, and technical ability. The choirs have worked with notable conductors such as Dr. Donald Neuen, Eric Whitacre, Dr. Ann Howard Jones, Professor James Gallagher, Dr. Eph Ely, Dr. Robert Ward, Dr. Kristina MacMullen, and, as mentioned previously, Dr. Craig Jessop.