Margaret Hillis, at Music Director Fritz Reiner's invitation, would organize and train a symphony chorus. Auditions began two weeks later, and on March 13 and 14, 1958, the Chicago Symphony Chorus made its subscription concert debut performing Mozart's Requiem with Bruno Walter conducting. A few weeks later, Reiner himself led the Chorus for the first time in performances of Verdi's Requiem. Hillis was also the first woman to conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, first on a special concert in November 1957 and later on subscription concerts in December 1958, leading the orchestra and chorus in Honegger's Christmas Cantata. Hillis captured nationwide attention on October 31, 1977, when she substituted on short notice for the ailing Sir Georg Solti, conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in a performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8 in New York's Carnegie Hall. Under Hillis's leadership, the Chicago Symphony Chorus performed and recorded many of the major works in the choral symphonic repertoire, gave important world premieres, appeared with visiting orchestras, and was part of many noteworthy milestones in the CSO's history. Hillis won nine Grammy Awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for best choral performance. She also worked with community and regional orchestras, and was director for several years of the Kenosha Civic and the Elgin Symphony Orchestras. Hillis regularly conducted the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Starting in the late 1970s, she worked actively as a guest conductor, leading performances of the National, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Saint Paul, Baltimore, Minnesota, Columbus, Peoria, San Antonio, Spokane, and Oregon symphony orchestras; the New York Choral Society; the Los Angeles Master Chorale; the Gloria Dei Cantores; and the Santa Fe Opera. Honors and awards Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance 1977 – Sir Georg Solti: VERDI Requiem 1978 – Sir Georg Solti: BEETHOVEN Missa solemnis 1979 – Sir Georg Solti: BRAHMS A German Requiem 1982 – Sir Georg Solti: BERLIOZ The Damnation of Faust 1983 – Sir Georg Solti: HAYDN The Creation 1984 – James Levine: BRAHMS A German Requiem 1986 – James Levine: ORFF Carmina burana 1991 – Sir Georg Solti: BACH Mass in B minor, BWV 232 1993 – Pierre Boulez: BARTÓK Cantata profana References External links “A new factor in the city's musical life”: The Founding of the Chicago Symphony Chorus Margaret Hillis and the Chicago Symphony Chorus Interview with