Soaring voices meet timeless verse

Summer Festival

Conductor

Joshua Habermann

Artistic Director

July 22–31, 2027

Rediscover the power of the poet’s pen. Pianist Nathan Salazar will join the Desert Chorale as they honor some of the greatest literary figures of the last century, and the composers who heard music hidden inside their words. Two dramatically different settings of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem “Invitation to Love” by living composers Matthew Brown and Paolo Orlandi frame this program. Allyson Harvel, winner of the Chicago a cappella’s HerVoice competition, breathes new life into Emily Dickinson’s famous poem “Because I Could Not Stop for Death.” Experience these and other profound poems amplified by choral song.

Twelve emerging choral professionals will sing alongside the 24 Desert Chorale artists as part of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale & VOCES8 US Scholars Partnership, expanding the ensemble for this powerful program.

A pre-concert lecture presented by Kate Maroney will be available to all this summer through an on-demand video.

Artwork: Crystal Path by Erin Hanson, erinhanson.com

Video Clip

Enjoy a sample of what you can expect to hear on this program.

Performances

Guest Artists

Nathan Salazar

Piano

VOCES8 US Scholars

Santa Fe Desert Chorale Singers

Elisse Albian

Soprano

Chelsea Helm

Soprano

Elijah McCormack

Soprano

Sarah Moyer

Soprano

Kathlene Ritch

Soprano

Addy Sterrett

Soprano

Kerry Ginger

Alto

Dianna Grabowski

Alto

Sylvia Leith

Alto

Kate Maroney

Alto

Sarah Nickerson

Alto

Pamela Terry

Alto

George Case

Tenor

Brad Diamond

Tenor

Erik Gustafson

Tenor

Michael Jones

Tenor

Bradley Naylor

Tenor

Steven Soph

Tenor

James K. Bass

Bass

John Buffett

Bass

Harrison Hintzsche

Bass

Enrico Lagasca

Bass

Edmund Milly

Bass

Marques Jerrell Ruff

Bass