Founded in 1982 by 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. A recipient of the 2006 Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, in 2015 the Santa Fe Reporter named the ensemble one of the “Best of Santa Fe” in the Music Performance category. Scott Cantrell of The Dallas Morning News characterized the Chorale as presenting “stunning singing…incredible power,” during the 2015 Summer Festival. Now in his eighth season as Music Director, Joshua Habermann leads the 24-voice professional Chorale in repertoire spanning seven centuries, from Medieval polyphony to contemporary works. 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 seventeen works by twenty-one 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 and the Loretto Chapel, as well as other venues throughout the Southwest. A recent highlight was an invitational appearance at the 2015 American Choral Director’s Association National Conference in Utah which was later broadcast by Minnesota Public Radio. The Santa Fe Desert Chorale presents both summer and winter festivals of concerts featuring a wide range of literature from around the world. The 2016 Summer Festival Season will take place from July 19 through August 15, 2016. The composition of the Chorale is truly national in scope with artists drawn from coast-to-coast; many sharing the stage with peer groups from Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society to the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and including Chanticleer, Conspirare, and Seraphic Fire. The Desert Chorale prides itself on its strong relationships within the community of Northern New Mexico, and enjoys collaborations with Creativity for Peace, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, New Mexico History Museum, NDI-NM, Performance Santa Fe, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus, Santa Fe Pro Musica, and The Santa Fe Opera. Community engagement is an integral part of the Desert Chorale’s mission.