Biography
Established in 1982, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale quickly rose to prominence as one of America's leading choral groups, its performances and recordings shaped by the distinctive landscape and heritage of the Mountain West. Longtime conductor Lawrence "Larry" Bandfield launched the ensemble after identifying a need for a first-rate choral organization in the culturally vibrant city of Santa Fe, serving as its inaugural music director through 1998. Dennis Shrock then led the group from 1999 until 2004, followed by Linda Mack from 2005 to 2007. Joshua Habermann has held the music directorship since 2009, during which time he has also overseen the Dallas Symphony Chorus. The chorale maintains separate summer and holiday performance series while supporting a children's program launched in 2002; a related initiative called Desert Chorale II began in 2011, pairing University of New Mexico students with members of the main ensemble. The group experiences an unusually high annual turnover, with roughly one-third of its singers new each season, and conducts auditions across New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas.
Although its repertoire spans multiple historical periods, the chorale has repeatedly emphasized works by Hispanic and Native American composers, traditions especially prominent in New Mexico. Since 1987 it has introduced more than twenty new compositions, among them Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate's Visions of a Child in 2012. The ensemble has issued over a dozen recordings, most featuring contemporary music unified by thematic or site-specific elements, such as the 2007 album Live from Loretto Chapel captured inside Santa Fe's historic chapel. Its first release on the Avie label, The Road Home, appeared in 2018. Beyond its home base, the chorale has presented programs in Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and Oklahoma City, including an appearance at the 2015 American Choral Directors National Conference in Utah.
Although its repertoire spans multiple historical periods, the chorale has repeatedly emphasized works by Hispanic and Native American composers, traditions especially prominent in New Mexico. Since 1987 it has introduced more than twenty new compositions, among them Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate's Visions of a Child in 2012. The ensemble has issued over a dozen recordings, most featuring contemporary music unified by thematic or site-specific elements, such as the 2007 album Live from Loretto Chapel captured inside Santa Fe's historic chapel. Its first release on the Avie label, The Road Home, appeared in 2018. Beyond its home base, the chorale has presented programs in Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and Oklahoma City, including an appearance at the 2015 American Choral Directors National Conference in Utah.
Albums
