About Us
The San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers is a highly acclaimed, 120-voice chorus of volunteers from throughout the San Antonio area. Max Reiter, founding Music Director of the San Antonio Symphony, established the chorus in 1944 to support opera productions presented by the Symphony. Today's Mastersingers are featured in every area of the Symphony's performance schedule. The chorus also presents independent performances. The Mastersingers' reputation for meticulous preparation and professionalism has brought the group frequent invitations for tours and guest appearances. In 1994, the Mastersingers traveled to Carnegie Hall to present the New York premiere of Robert Levin's edition of the Mozart Requiem. This second appearance of the chorus at Carnegie Hall received the same critical acclaim as their performances throughout Texas, in Monterrey, Mexico, in New York's Avery Fisher Hall, and in the Royal Festival Hall, London. In May 2008, the chorus performed Mozart's Solemn Vespers at Carnegie Hall, John Silantien conducting. Later that same year, they were invited to perform a concert version of Cavalleria Rusticana, with Andrea Bocelli in the starring role. The chorus has performed under some of the world's leading music directors - Zdenek Macal, Jahja Ling, Sixten Ehrling, Nicholas McGegan, Christopher Hogwood, and others. The Mastersingers have produced two recordings in their history. Their first, a 1978 release on the Telarc label, is an acclaimed album of choral works including Verdi's "Ave Maria," John Corigliano's "Psalm 90," and a set of six previously unrecorded works by Hugo Wolf. In 1987 the Symphony and Mastersingers released Christmas Festival, an album of holiday music, with James Sedares conducting. In 1994, then San Antonio Mayor Nelson Wolff proclaimed the Mastersingers "one of the crown jewels within the San Antonio Arts community." The chorus continues to delight audiences during its sixty-fifth season in 2009-2010.
Dr. John Silantien has taught and conducted choirs on the secondary and collegiate levels in
 Texas, the
 Church. Between 1992 and 1998, he served as Editor of the Choral Journal, the official publication of the American Choral Directors Association, with a circulation of over 18,000. He serves frequently as adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor. He is listed in the International Who's Who in Music, Who's Who Among
Choirs under his direction have been invited to perform before the Music Educators National Conference, the American Choral Directors Association, the Texas Choral Directors Association, and the Texas Music Educators Association. They have sung in
 of Mozart's 250th birthday. His orchestral conducting credits include performances with the San Antonio Symphony, the San Antonio Pops, and
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