Stephen Alltop | Apollo Chorus of Chicago
Stephen Alltop serves as Music Director of the Apollo Chorus of Chicago, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, and the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra. A specialist in oratorio and historical performance practice, he has been a member of the conducting and keyboard faculties at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University since 1994. Stephen Alltop has appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as both a harpsichord and organ soloist. He has performed with the Joffrey Ballet, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Music of the Baroque, Omaha Symphony, and the Peninsula Music Festival. Dr. Alltop has guest-conducted orchestras and choruses in the United States, Europe, and South Korea. An advocate for diversity in programming, he has sought to bring attention to under-represented composers in both the orchestral and choral realm. In June of 2022, Alltop stepped in on three hours notice to conduct the Grant Park Music Festival in a program of Beethoven, Schubert and Tchaikovsky broadcast live on WFMT. Dr. Alltop lectures frequently about music for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Northwestern University Alumnae Continuing Education Series and Osher Lifelong Learning. Since 2014, he has given presentations on leadership for various programs in the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern.Stephen Alltop
Music Director of the Apollo Chorus of Chicago
Apollo Chorus of Chicago
Purchase tickets for Beethoven’s ninth concert
Founded just after the Chicago Fire in 1872, the Apollo Chorus of Chicago is one of the oldest auditioned volunteer choral societies in the United States, and the oldest performing-arts organization in Illinois. Year after year, critics and audiences alike delight in the artistry and passion of Apollo’s performances. Under the direction of Music Director and Conductor Stephen Alltop, the Chorus regularly presents choral masterworks in illustrious Chicago venues such as Symphony Center and the Harris Theater. The 2021-22 season marks the 150th Anniversary for the Chorus, and includes Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St. John Passion, and the Chicago premiere of Stacy Garrop’s oratorio, Terra Nostra. One of the most active presenters of contemporary choral music in the Midwest, the Apollo Chorus has collaborated with many prominent composers, including Jeff Beal, Jeremy Beck, Eleanor Daley, Keith Hampton, and Eric Whitacre.
Chorus membership includes people from many professions united by a love of choral music and dedication to excellence. Apollo has collaborated with outstanding artists and organizations, including the Oprah Winfrey Show, Josh Groban on Tour, Ravinia Festival, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Peninsula Music Festival, Chicago Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and Louis the Child at Lollapalooza. Recent projects with Chicago Opera Theater include Rachmaninoff’s Aleko, Joby Talbot’s Everest, and The Perfect American by Philip Glass.
The Apollo Chorus released Handel’s Messiah on the Clarion label (2006). Dedicated to reflecting the richness of diverse cultures, recent programs have included works from Latin America, Estonia, Georgia, Africa, Ireland, and many other countries, and such styles as Gospel, Jazz, Samba, Broadway and film music.
