The Oratorio Society of New York is a not-for-profit membership organization that performs choral music in the oratorio style. The Society was founded in 1873 by conductor Leopold Damrosch and is the third oldest musical organization in New York City. The Society had a prominent role in the building of Carnegie Hall. Throughout its long history, it has premiered many new choral works. Kent Tritle was appointed as the Society’s 11th music director in January 2006, succeeding longstanding director Lyndon Woodside who had died the previous year.