Sapporo Symphony Chorus (SSO Chorus) is a chorus specially founded for the orchestra, established in 2006 to honor the orchestra’s 45th anniversary. Its debut was “Sakkyo the Ninth” performed at the end of the same year. The chorus celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016.
The chorus appeared in the orchestra’s celebrative 500th Subscription, Mahler’s Symphony No.2, “Resurrection” (June 2007); 511th Subscription, Britten’s Opera “Peter Grimes” (concert version, September 2008); 520th Subscription, Orff’s Carmina Burana (June 2009); and PMF Orchestra with Eschenbach, Mahler “Resurrection” (July 2009). In 2010, the chorus was in the 530th Subscription, Durufle’s Requiem (June 2010); “Akira-san’s Discovery Concert” (summer 2010); “Sakkyo the Ninth” (December 2010); and the 531st Subscription, Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 (female chorus only, September 2010). The chorus also appeared in Ishikari River Flood Control Anniversary Concert the same year. In 2011, the chorus was in Eliska’s 538th Subscription, Dvorak’s “Stabat Mater” (April 2011); “Akira-san’s Discovery Concert” (August 2011); “Sakkyo the Ninth” (December 2011); and Outdoor Concert “Green Concert” (summer 2011). Its activity continued to expand, 549th Subscription with Takaseki, Beethoven’s “Missa solemnis” (May 2012); “Sakkyo the Ninth” (December 2012) which was again with Eliska; 562nd Subscription, Britten’s “War Requiem” with Otaka (September 2013); “Sakkyo the Ninth;” 570th Subscription, Verdi Requiem (June 2014); and “Sakkyo the Ninth,” which became the last 9th Symphony with Otaka as the Music Director (December 2014). The chorus expanded its repertoires; 579th Subscription, Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang (June 2015) with Max Pommer, the concert celebrating his inauguration as the Chief Conductor and was made into a CD; 589th Subscription, Debussy’s Nocturnes (female chorus only, May 2016), 593th Subscription, Mozart Requiem (September 2016); 605th Subscription J. S. Bach Christmas Oratorio (December 2017); and 623rd Subscription, J. S. Bach Johannes-Passion (October 2018). With Junichi Hirokami, the chorus performed in the 598th Subscription, Holst’s Planet (April 2017); and with Matthias Bamert, 612nd Subscription, as the first collaboration , Faure Requiem (September 2018); 648th Subscription, Haydn Mass in Time of War Paukenmesse (October 2022); 653rd Subscription, Brahms German Requiem (May 2023), all highly acclaimed. In the 622nd Subscription (September 2019), Holliger conducted his “Ardeur noire d'après” with the chorus which was Japanese premiere. The chorus continues to appear in “Sakkyo the Ninth,” every year since 2016.

Since its foundation, the chorus carried out the audition for 4 times. At present, there are 72 members, with the chorus masters Isao Osanai, Shigeto Oshima, and Toshiaki Nakahara. (as of August 2023)