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San Francisco Symphony Chorus Performs Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna at Davies Hall
Director Jenny Wong led the May 31 performance of Morten Lauridsen’s work along with pieces by other composers.
How we reported this
The San Francisco Symphony Chorus, directed by Jenny Wong, performed Morten Lauridsen’s Lux aeterna at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on May 31, 2026. The San Francisco Symphony described the piece as a meditative, radiant work of consolation, noting that the Chorus gave its first performance of the work in this program.
Full Program Lineup
The May 31 concert also featured works by Brahms, Fauré, James MacMillan, Lili Boulanger, Ola Gjeilo and a traditional song arrangement by Shawn Kirchner. These selections created a program spanning multiple eras and styles of choral composition, with the Lauridsen work serving as a central focus.
Chorus Background on Similar Works
The San Francisco Symphony Chorus previously appeared on a 2022 digital-only audio-visual recording of György Ligeti’s Lux Aeterna. That recording later received a Grammy nomination for Best Choral Performance in 2024. The 2026 concert marked a new chapter for the group in exploring the Lux aeterna theme through contemporary composition.
A separate record from San Francisco lists another work titled Lux Aeterna as a 1914 oil painting by Gottardo Piazzoni held in the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco collection. This provides an additional local reference point for the title in the city’s cultural holdings.
The performance took place at the well-known Davies Symphony Hall, home to the San Francisco Symphony’s regular season activities. The event drew on the Chorus’s established presence in the city’s music scene, building on prior recordings and nominations that have highlighted its work.
Details of the concert appear in program materials from the San Francisco Symphony and related ticketing listings. The May 31 date aligns with the group’s seasonal schedule of choral presentations at the hall.
Listeners interested in the Chorus’s recent activity can review the Symphony’s official program documents and performance archives for further context on how the Lauridsen work fits into ongoing repertoire choices. The concert stands as a documented moment in the group’s 2026 activities at Davies Symphony Hall.