Echoes of the past, voices of

the future

Program Sponsors

TBD

Conductor

Joshua Habermann

Artistic Director
Sponsored by Carmen Paradis and Brian McGrath

Immerse yourself in the evolving landscape of American choral music, rooted in rich traditions while also looking ahead. As one of the nation’s top professional chamber choirs, the Desert Chorale is committed to advancing an art form that brings joy to over 54 million Americans by commissioning new choral works regularly. This year, we have commissioned Nigerian-American composer Shawn E. Okpebholo to write a large-scale work that reimagines American folk songs and spirituals. In his new piece The American Road: Six Songs of the Enslaved, Embattled and Emancipated, Okpebholo honors the pain and resilience of the past while celebrating our hopes for the future. Join our twenty-four vocal artists for this momentous work paired alongside commissions from our recent past, including Northland by Kile Smith (2023), Caminante by Jocelyn Hagen (2022), and The Tipping Point by Reena Esmail (2021).

Singer Sponsors

Murray and Nancy Bern

John Buffett

Sallie Bingham

Kate Maroney

Thomas and Anne Conner

Kathlene Ritch

Allegra and Jim Derryberry

Sarah Moyer

Gregory Dove

Erik Gustafson

Jeffrey Fort and Diane Locandro

Harrison Hintzsche
Marques Jerrell Ruff

Richard and Chris Frenk

George Case

Diane and Bill Graves

Sarah Brauer

Rick Gustafson

Kerry Ginger

Sheryl Kelsey and George Duncan

Dianna Grabowski
Michael Jones
Pamela Terry

Phyllis Lehmberg

Sarah Nickerson

Laurie Meyer

Savannah Porter

James Murphy and Roxanne Howe-Murphy

Enrico Lagasca

Carmen Paradis and Brian McGrath

Bradley Naylor

Marianne Reuter

Chelsea Helm

Peter and Sara Rutenberg

Steven Soph

Dr. Donald Shina and J. Kevin Waidmann

James K. Bass