FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 10, 2020: The Santa Fe Desert Chorale (SFDC) announced yesterday the postponement of the all-professional Chorale’s 2020 summer season programming, due to the continued threat of the COVID-19 virus. The decision was reached by the SFDC Board of Directors, with the intention of protecting public health and safety during this global crisis.

“After 38 consecutive years, it is difficult to think of a summer in Santa Fe without the Santa Fe Desert Chorale’s Summer Festival, one of the most significant annual choral music events in our nation. Nevertheless, our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our professional artists, staff, and community, both here in Santa Fe and throughout our world,” said Executive Director Emma Marzen. “Choral music has the unique ability to heal, unite, and inspire us through the universal instrument of the human voice. We are deeply committed to responsibly furthering the mission of the Chorale, both during this pandemic and into the future, and look forward to sharing the beauty and power of great choral music when it is safe again to do so.”

Organized under the theme of Unlikely Partners, three distinct programs —
The Jew and the Gentile, Roaring ’20s, and East Meets West — that were to be presented in eleven performances over the course of late July and early August have been postponed to the same period of time in 2021. Two vocal chamber concerts and various ancillary programming relating to the summer season have been similarly postponed. Information on 2021 tickets is forthcoming.

5th Annual Santa Fe Sings!—Community Sing led by Artistic Director Joshua Habermann

The community sing event Santa Fe Sings! remains open for registration and celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2020, but has been postponed from May 16 to November 7. Artistic Director Joshua Habermann will lead the workshop for avocational singers, ranging in age from 8th graders to octogenarians. In 2019, there were 171 registrants representing eight New Mexico counties and five other states attended. This joyful day of music-making, sponsored by Stephen and Jane Hochberg, will take place once again at the United Church of Santa Fe

(Rev. Talitha Arnold, Senior Minister). Steinway artist Jacquelyn Helin will be the collaborative pianist.

2020 Winter Season—Nochebuena

The winter program Nochebuena remains on sale and retains its original schedule from December 12 to 22, preceded by the winter benefit event on December 11, 2020. Nochebuena builds on the Santa Fe Desert Chorale’s long-standing commitment to performing music by Hispanic composers. New works and beloved carols from South, Central, and North America make for a joyful celebration of the season. A New Mexico tradition, performances will be presented in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe. (A full updated schedule of remaining 2020 Desert Chorale events is attached.)

Tickets:

Tickets are available for all events at desertchorale.org/tickets or by phone at (505) 988-2282. Prices vary by venue. Tickets range from $10 (students with identification) to $95.

Media Contacts:

For more information, please contact Box Office & Marketing Manager Yavar Moradi by email at yavar@desertchorale.org. For images, please contact Zina Jundi by email at zjundi@comcast.net.

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Santa Fe Desert Chorale thanks the following organizations for their ongoing support: The City of Santa Fe Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, New Mexico Arts, and the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Mission Statement: The mission of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, one of the nation’s premier professional vocal ensembles, 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 continually performing professional music organizations in New Mexico, as well as one of the most distinguished. In his review of the American Voices program, Scott Cantrell of

The Dallas Morning News wrote: “The variety certainly displayed the ensemble’s impressive versatility. Habermann consistently got vivid performances, introspective music elegantly colored and shaped, extrovert fare delivered with great pizzazz. Individual singers got lots of solo exposure.”

Now in his 12th season, Artistic Director Joshua Habermann leads the Chorale in repertoire spanning seven centuries, from early polyphony to contemporary works. The composition of the Chorale is truly national in scope and the ensemble is recognized as one of the finest American chamber choirs. A recent highlight was an invitational appearance at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference, which was later broadcast by Minnesota Public Radio. In the 2017-2018 season, the Chorale toured to Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and Oklahoma City, and presented regular winter and summer seasons in New Mexico. Now in its 38th year, the Desert Chorale Summer Festival season is a centerpiece of the cultural life of Santa Fe, and among the nation’s most significant choral events.

The Chorale’s first studio recording, The Road Home, launched at No. 3 on the Billboard Classical Chart following a sold-out CD launch program in Santa Fe. 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 24 works by 20 composers; three-quarters of the composers commissioned have been American. In addition, another seven works have been given their world or American premieres by the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.

The ensemble performs at historical sites in Santa Fe such as the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and Cristo Rey Catholic Church, as well as other venues throughout the Southwest. The Desert Chorale prides itself on its strong relationships within the community of Northern New Mexico, and enjoys collaborations with the Center for Contemporary Arts, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, The Jewish Film Museum, Museum of International Folk Art, and galleries throughout Santa Fe, among others. Community Engagement programming partners the Chorale with other musical, artistic, social services, and educational organizations in Santa Fe and on tour. Other important goals include fostering the next generation of singers and arts administrators.