Soli Deo Gloria

Our Vision

“Soli Deo Gloria’s great mission is to inspire
the gifted composers of our time
to address their Creator, and in so doing,
help us all realize where beauty and truth come from.”
—John Nelson, Artistic Director

 

Meet Soli Deo Gloria!

We could write a lot of words describing Soli Deo Gloria, but the mission of our organization doesn't come alive in words; it comes alive in the music! We invite you to experience first-hand the energy and vision of SDG in this introductory video to our work around the world.

Want to hear more? The video below introduces some of the inspiring people behind our vision. From the opening response by Artistic Director John Nelson to the question, “What is it about SDG that excites you?”, to remarks about the first performance of Brahms’ Requiem in China, we hope you’ll catch the spirit behind the music.

“Soli Deo Gloria provides an environment
where the great sacred traditions
can be continued in a time
in which they have been overlooked.”
—Jack Firestone, SDG donor

“Soli Deo Gloria has the opportunity and
privilege of commissioning the greatest
composers in the world. We want these works
to be part of the repertoire forever.”
—Richard G. Gieser, Chairman of the Board

Our Mission

Soli Deo Gloria is dedicated to enhancing, promoting and preserving
the classical sacred music repertoire in the Biblical tradition.

Soli Deo Gloria derives its name from the practice of composer Johann Sebastian Bach, who inscribed many of his compositions with the Latin phrase SOLI DEO GLORIA (“to God alone be the Glory”). Over 250 years later, the world still reels from the output of Bach’s creative soul. In similar fashion, Soli Deo Gloria strives to have a lasting impact upon our culture. Our goals are to:

• Foster music that speaks to the human condition, dealing with the deepest and most universal concerns of the soul.
• Empower the most gifted composers of our time to inspire the world through fresh expressions of faith.
• Share the joys of sacred music with all peoples, regardless of age, race, economic status, political or religious background.
• Build a legacy of artistic passion, enlightened by faith, for the world to enjoy today and treasure forever.

Since its establishment as a nonprofit organization in 1993, Soli Deo Gloria has sought to facilitate the creation of sacred classical music, at the highest level, to the glory of God. SDG’s mission takes shape in three unique directions:  sponsorship of sacred music concerts around the world, sponsorship of recordings of sacred music, and commissions for new sacred music from the world’s leading composers. In each of these areas Soli Deo Gloria has gained recognition as a distinctive advocate of sacred music.

Our History

Soli Deo Gloria was founded in 1993 and attracted international attention in 1994 with the North American premiere performance and recording of Miserere by the renowned Polish composer Henryk Górecki (1923-2010). John Nelson conducted the combined choruses of Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in their first-ever collaboration. Within weeks of its 1995 release on the Electra/Nonesuch label, the resultant CD titled Miserere found its way onto Billboard’s top 10 classical chart and has since sold over 100,000 copies.

Soli Deo Gloria’s sacred-music recordings have continued with the first-ever complete recording of Berlioz’ Te Deum, released in the spring of 2001 on the EMI/Virgin Classics label and nominated for the prestigious Grand Diapason d’Or Prize. In 2006, Soli Deo Gloria branched out into the realm of DVD, filming in partnership with Idéale Audience medici.tv John Nelson’s conducting of Bach’s Mass in B Minor at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris (2006 EMI/Virgin Classics), Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis  in Lisbon (2011/Idéale Audience) and Haydn’s The Creation in the Netherlands (2011/Idéale Audience), and Bach's St. Matthew Passion (forthcoming).

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