A Sanctuary of Sound

Program Sponsors

Catherine and Guy Gronquist

Conductor

Joshua Habermann

Artistic Director
Sponsored by Carmen Paradis and Brian McGrath

Last performed in 2016, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale is thrilled to continue the tradition of presenting Sergei Rachmaninoff’s profoundly beautiful and deeply spiritual All-Night Vigil (popularly known as Vespers). This cornerstone of choral music consists of fifteen movements of unaccompanied voices creating a cathedral of sound, resonating with both the ancient and the innovative. Composed in less than two weeks in 1915 against the backdrop of war, Rachmaninoff’s masterpiece marries traditional Orthodox chants with his distinctive harmonic language, creating a work of great emotional depth. From the grand opening of “Come, Let Us Worship” to the famous low B-flat descent in “Now Lettest Thou,” the Vespers showcases the full expressive range of the human voice. The Desert Chorale will expand to 32 top-tier professional vocalists to tackle this Herculean work. Whether you’re hearing the Vespers for the first time or revisiting a beloved favorite, this program promises to be an unforgettable journey through what many consider to be the pinnacle of Russian choral music.

Artwork: Blood Moon Over Santa Fe by Evelyne Boren, Acosta Strong Fine Art Gallery

Singer Sponsors

Donald Shina and Kevin Waidmann

James Bass, bass

Murray and Nancy Bern

John Buffett, bass

Richard and Chris Frenk

George Case, tenor

Sheryl Kelsey and George Duncan

Dianna Grabowski, alto
Michael Jones, tenor
Neil Netherly, bass
John Orduña, bass
Pamela Terry, alto

Gregory Dove

Erik Gustafson, tenor

Jim Murphy and Roxanne Howe-Murphy

Enrico Lagasca, bass

Laurie Meyer in Memory of Dick Meyer

Kate Maroney, alto

Allegra and Jim Derryberry

Sarah Moyer, soprano

Carmen Paradis and Brian McGrath

Bradley Naylor, tenor

Tom and Anne Conner

Kathlene Ritch, soprano