The Desert Chorale stands at a pivotal moment in our mission to advance the choral arts in America. We invite you to join us in creating a new commercial recording with music that will resonate with choirs and audiences for generations to come.

At its heart lies The American Road: Six Songs of the Enslaved, Embattled, and Emancipated by Nigerian-American composer Shawn E. Okpebholo. In this new large-scale work, Okpebholo reimagines folk songs and spirituals—including an original by Rhiannon Giddens—that both honor the pain and resilience of the past and inspire hope for the future.

Also featured on this recording are meaningful commissions from our recent past. Kile Smith’s Northland infuses the poetry of Harlem Renaissance writer Claude McKay with jazz, blues, and melodic lyricism to describe the Jamaican immigrant’s experiences in his new home.

The bilingual work Caminante (Traveler) by Jocelyn Hagen exemplifies both musically and poetically the miracle of all kinds of people coming together as fellow travelers.

The Tipping Point by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail combines Western and Indian musical techniques to describe the constant struggle between darkness and light, and that miraculous moment of light tipping the scale.

A special “Desert Chorale arrangement” of Shawn Kirchner‘s beloved Sweet Rivers in Eb major allows our sopranos to soar to a high C.

View an excerpt of music to be featured on this recording:

Dates: August 3-5, 2025
Location: Cristo Rey Church in Santa Fe
Sound Engineer and Producer: Soundmirror
Release Date: Summer 2026

Executive Producers ($50,000+)

Barry and Margaret Lyerly

$10,000-$24,999

$5,000-$9,999

$2,500-$4,999

Diane and Bill Graves
Miranda and David Lind, Lind Family Foundation
Lee and David Takagi

$1,000-$2,499