Free Community Performances This December, Featuring Young Voices of the Santa Fe Opera

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 27, 2023: The all-professional artists of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale return to New Mexico this winter for their 2023 Winter Program: Candlelight Carols, running December 9-22. The Desert Chorale brings together 24 of the top ensemble singers in the nation to sing under the direction of Artistic Director Joshua Habermann, who is celebrating his 15th year in the role.

This year’s program, A Glimpse of Snow and Evergreen, includes music honoring the beauty of our winter mountain landscape alongside beloved holiday carols. The Desert Chorale is thrilled to be joined once again by collaborative pianist Nathan Salazar for this program.

Candlelight Carols Concert Dates
Concerts take place at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi unless otherwise noted.

Saturday, December 9th at 7 pm

Sunday, December 10th at 4 pm
Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Albuquerque

Friday, December 15th at 7 pm

Sunday, December 17th at 4 pm

Tuesday, December 19th at 7 pm

Wednesday, December 20th at 7 pm

Thursday, December 21st at 7 pm

Friday, December 22nd at 7 pm

Candlelight Carols Repertoire

THE MOTHER
Alma Redemptoris Mater, Gregorian Chant
Alma Redemptoris Mater, Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548–1611)

GLIMPSE OF SNOW AND EVERGREEN
Until I Wander’d, Alan Ridout (1934–1996)
Where the Light Begins, Susan LaBarr (b. 1981)
little tree, Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

THE GREAT MYSTERY
O Magnum Mysterium, Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943)

NORTHERN LIGHT
Nu Är Det Jul Igen, Traditional Swedish, arr. George/Habermann
Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul, Gustaf Nordqvist (1886–1949), arr. Davidson
O Jul Med Din Glede, Norwegian Carol, arr. Jennings

BELOVED CAROLS
I Wonder as I Wander, John Jacob Niles (1892–1980), arr. Rutter
The First Noel, English Carol, arr. Forrest
Masters in this Hall, French Carol, arr. Shaw/Parker

AMERICAN TRADITIONS
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Hugh Martin (1914–2011), arr. Bradford
Sweet, Little Jesus Boy, Robert MacGimsey (1898–1979), arr. Gibb

SILENT NIGHT
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree, Elizabeth Poston (1905–1987)
Silent Night, Franz Xaver Gruber (1787–1863), arr. Kirchner

Winter Artist Roster:
Artist biographies and headshots are available at desertchorale.org/artists.

Tickets: Tickets for Candlelight Carols are available now at desertchorale.org/tickets or by calling the Box Office at (505) 988-2282. Ticket prices range from $20-$100. The Desert Chorale offers 50% discounted tickets for all students with IDs.

###

The Desert Chorale is proud to support local Santa Fe students, families, and community members with the following free performances and workshops this December:

Insights & Sounds Family Concert: Through the Insights & Sounds program, the Desert Chorale is dedicated to providing meaningful musical experiences for the local community. After a successful launch in August 2023, we will offer another free mini-concert for children and their families on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 3pm at the Gallery of the Center for Contemporary Arts. Doors will open at 2:30pm.

Featuring the 24 professional singers of the Desert Chorale led by Joshua Habermann, this performance full of holiday favorites will be a fun way to introduce and share the thrill of great choral music with children in the Santa Fe community. Families can stay to meet the artists after the performance.

We ask that families please register in advance, as capacity is limited. Admission is pay what you wish. To sign up and for more information visit desertchorale.org/i&s. Registration opens November 1, 2023.

Pop-Up Carols: Enjoy pop-up caroling performances free to the public! The community is invited to enjoy small groups of professional Desert Chorale artists singing at various times and locations, free of charge. These seemingly spontaneous presentations will take place throughout Santa Fe at the following locations:

Saturday, December 9^th from 11-11:30am: Water Tower at the Santa Fe Railyard during the Farmer’s Market (1607 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501)

Saturday, December 9^th from 1-1:30pm: Center Court inside the DeVargas Center (64 N Guadalupe St, Santa Fe, NM 87501)

Wednesday, December 13^th from 5:30-6pm: *Joined by the Young Voices of the Santa Fe Opera* inside the Santa Fe Public Library Southside Branch (6599 Jaguar Dr., Santa Fe, NM 87507)

For more information, please visit desertchorale.org/popupcarols.

Media Contacts: For more information, please contact Joanna Armstrong by email at joanna@desertchorale.org.

The Santa Fe Desert Chorale 2023 Winter Program is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding is also provided by the City of Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department and the 1% Lodgers’ Tax. Santa Fe Desert Chorale thanks the following organizations for their ongoing support: New Mexico Bank & Trust, Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe Selection Travel Guide, and Thornburg Investment Management.

###

The Vision of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale: Singing for our common humanity.

Mission Statement: The mission of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale is to excite, engage, and inspire diverse audiences with the beauty and power of great choral music.

About the Santa Fe Desert Chorale: Founded in 1982 by Lawrence “Larry” Bandfield, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale is one of the longest-running professional music organizations in New Mexico, as well as one of the most distinguished American professional chamber choirs. “The Santa Fe Desert Chorale [is] a top-notch, 24-voice group… comprising the crème de la crème of professional choral singers from coast to coast” (Dallas Morning News). Performing in historical venues such as the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, the Chorale’s Summer Festival has become a centerpiece of the cultural life of Santa Fe and is among the nation’s most significant choral events.

Artistic Director Joshua Habermann, now in his fifteenth season, leads the Chorale in repertoire spanning seven centuries, from early polyphony to contemporary works. Habermann’s versatile programming sets the ensemble apart as “a rara avis in the choral music world” (Santa Fe New Mexican).

The Chorale’s first commercial release, The Road Home, launched at No. 3 on the Billboard Classical Chart following a sold-out CD launch program in Santa Fe. The ensemble has traveled across the nation, performing in prominent conferences and cities such as Dallas, Chicago, and Los Angeles. In 2021, the Chorale began offering live streamed performances and access to full video recordings through their streaming service, Desert Chorale TV, sharing the beauty and power of choral music to a wider audience across the country and around the world.

Throughout its history, the Chorale has maintained a commitment to give voice to music from Hispanic and Native American communities. Dedicated to advancing the composers of our time, the Chorale has commissioned over 30 new works. In addition, another seven works have been given their world or American premieres by the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. The organization’s Commissioning Club selects and funds a new commission annually.

While nationally recognized, the Chorale prides itself on its strong relationships within the community of Northern New Mexico. Since 2016, the Chorale has hosted an annual community singing workshop, Santa Fe Sings!, bringing together music-lovers of all backgrounds to express themselves through song under the direction of Joshua Habermann. In 2022, the Chorale launched its inaugural Insights & Sounds program, which has included a symposium filled with interdisciplinary dialogue through the lens of choral music, and free concerts for children to explore the power and joy of singing and music-making. Through its community engagement programming, the Chorale partners with other musical, artistic, social service, and educational organizations in Santa Fe and beyond.